


Family Matters

by ghost_writer26 (kinksock22)



Series: Whole New World [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha Jensen, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Barebacking, Bottom Jared, Coming Untouched, Dirty Talk, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Knotting, M/M, Male Lactation - in wolf form, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Non-graphic Birth - in wolf form, Omega Jared, Oral Sex, RPS - Freeform, Rimming, Schmoop, Self-Lubrication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 04:20:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6223627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinksock22/pseuds/ghost_writer26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years after Jensen and Jared mated, everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Matters

**Author's Note:**

> Written on 04/10/13 on livejournal under ghost_writer26. Un-beta'd.
> 
> As we've established before, I've never been pregnant or given birth. So I just kinda wing it with the pregnancy stuff in this series.

Jared groans when he wakes up, his head feeling hazy and full, like it’s stuffed with cotton wool. Jensen’s asleep next to him; his mate’s limbs taking up more than half the mattress even though Jared’s now taller than him by a good four inches.  
  
Not wanting to wake his sleeping Alpha, Jared forces himself from the comfort and warmth of the sheets and stumbles toward the bathroom. Despite the chill in the air – it’s mid-December and even though they’re in Texas, it’s still winter and it’s still cold – Jared’s whole body feels hot. He leans heavily against the wall, rubbing at a phantom ache in his chest, staring into space. The fuzziness in his brain isn’t going away and he can hardly see straight or think.  
  
Perhaps he’s getting sick. Maybe he should stop by Doc’s before heading into work.  
  
He closes his eyes and lets his head fall back against the wall, his mind a million miles away, thoughts scattered.  
  
Maybe this is just a side-effect of finally going off the suppressant/birth control combo that he’s been on for the last five years.  
  
The thought that this could be the first proper heat that he’s had since mating with Jensen never enters his mind.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared gets into a mostly cool shower, not so much washing as just letting the water flow over his sore, tense frame, still lost in thought.  
  
It’s been a stressful month.  
  
Alan finally decided it was time to step down, leaving Jensen as new pack Alpha. He’s been groomed for it since he was a pup and training hard for it for the last five years and it’s definitely a happy time. But it’s also been extremely stressful.  
  
Their small pack has grown to just over a hundred in the last few years, which has meant getting to know a lot of new people – which Jared has never really been good at – but he’s also been thrust even more into the public eye since the official ceremony to hand over the title to Jensen. And as much as he tried not to let it, the whole thing has made all those insecurities Jared thought were long buried rise to the surface again.  
  
Not to mention the fact that Jim had to pull him off the meds or risk possible, permanent, damage to his cycles and fertility; which has left him feeling mildly like crap for days.  
  
So he had locked himself in their bedroom for two long weeks, even though as the Alpha’s mate there were things that he needed to do and be a part of. Last night was the first night he’d let Jensen back into their room, finally feeling like himself again long enough to be near his mate. He’d slept well in Jensen’s arms – just like he always has – but this morning that off feeling is so much worse than before.  
  
By the time Jared gets out of the shower, he’s shivering but his skin still feels flushed and there’s a tightness in his belly that gets worse the longer he’s on his feet.  
  
He wraps a towel around himself, cringing when he looks into the mirror above the sink. There are dark circles under his eyes, the thin, sensitive skin a sickly shade of purple. Even though he slept well – better than he has in the weeks he’d been alone in their bed – he looks exhausted. His eyes are dull and his normally tan skin is pale with the exception of twin spots of color high up on his cheekbones.  
  
Jensen’s already gone when Jared reenters their bedroom and he sighs, his shoulders slumping as he flops down onto the mattress – naked – and curls himself around Jensen’s pillow. It smells like his mate again and Jared’s surprised that it actually helps a small amount.  
  
Things had been a bit tense between him and Jensen for weeks before Jared locked himself away. He knew that Jensen taking over for his father would be stressful and there are more than a few people in the pack that think at twenty-seven, Jensen is too young to be Alpha. But his mate is strong and brilliant – and not only when it comes to pack issues and politics – and Jared knows that things are mostly better now. But all of the work and things that Jensen had to do had kept him from seeing his Alpha for nearly two weeks.  
  
Then on his routine, yearly visit with Doc Beaver, the older beta told Jared that he needed to go off the suppressants; that they are only meant to be temporary and Jared needs to let his body actually have regular heats, especially since he’s in his twenties now.  
  
The reaction was almost instantaneous. The next morning, he woke up feeling off – almost like a mild case of the flu – and he couldn’t stand his mate’s scent. Jim assured him it was normal, that he was finally getting the full force of Jensen’s smell and of his own body’s reaction and that after a bit of time, things would straighten out and Jared would be able to be around his mate again.  
  
The scent of confusion and rejection – and hurt – from Jensen was overwhelming and nearly choked Jared but he couldn’t find it in himself to explain to his mate. Especially considering that he hadn’t even told Jensen that Jim took him off his meds. His mate didn’t need to have to deal with that on top of everything else, didn’t need to be saddled once again with Jared’s weakness.  
  
So until last night, Jared had barely seen Jensen. He isn’t even sure where his mate had spent the last month.  
  
The thought leaves Jared unsettled even more and he curls into a ball, whimpering when his body protests. The house phone – which is conveniently on Jensen’s side of the bed – rings and Jared considers letting it go, or letting someone else get it. But Jensen’s parents are out of town and Mack moved out two years ago to live with her own mate.  
  
Jared picks up the phone, his eyes squeezing closed when his stomach cramps again. “Jay?” Jared can’t help it, he whines when he hears Jensen’s voice – the concern making his tone thick and deep. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Jen,” Jared groans, wrapping his arms around his middle.  
  
“Jared… Baby, what’s wrong?” Jensen asks again, commanding Alpha tone momentarily overriding the concern.  
  
“’m sick. Or somethin’. Need’ta see Doc.”  
  
“What’s wrong?” Jensen repeats once more. “What’re you feelin’?”  
  
“’m hot and achy. M’stomach hurts and my skin feels too tight.”  
  
“Where are you?”  
  
“In our room, in bed.”  
  
“Good. Stay there. ‘m on my way.”  
  
“Jen,” Jared starts, trailing off on a whimper. “’m okay. Just the flu or somethin’. You’re busy…”  
  
“Jared, no,” Jensen growls and Jared faintly hears movement on the other end of the line. “’m already on my way.”  
  
The rough growl of Jensen’s voice – of his Alpha’s voice – sends a violent tremor of arousal down Jared’s spine, heat crawling through his veins at an alarming rate. His cock twitches and Jared belatedly realizes that he’s harder than he’s ever been, his natural slick pulsing out of his entrance in thick gushes. His eyes slide closed and he whimpers, instinctively turning his head further toward Jensen’s pillow, searching out his mate’s scent.  
  
He doesn’t remember a lot of his first few days with Jensen’s pack but he suddenly recalls with sickening clarity the feeling that drove him from his adoptive parents’ home that night. Everything clicks into place and Jared feels tears biting at his eyes, embarrassment making his cheeks burn even hotter.  
  
He’s in heat.  
  
It’s the first time since he ran away when he was eighteen that his body has gone into heat. That night – the one and only time – he’d been an unmated and immature wolf. But now… his body is finally mature and he’s been mated for five years.  
  
He hears the front door slam open and Jensen’s scent hits him – even though the older man is all the way down stairs – and Jared moans, fresh slick leaking down his thighs, his hips thrusting uselessly against the mattress.  
  
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” Jensen growls and Jared buries his head further into Jensen’s pillow. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”  
  
Jared opens his mouth to reply but whatever we planned to say is lost to a loud, hoarse cry when he feels Jensen’s strong, broad hands gripping both his ass cheeks. “Jensen,” Jared whimpers, his hips twitching back against his mate’s touch even as he tries to squirm away. “Don’t… I can’t…”  
  
“Jared,” Jensen murmurs softly. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”  
  
“I… it’s… I can’t,” he repeats miserably, not sure why he’s so embarrassed, just knows that he doesn’t want his mate to see him like this.  
  
“Shh,” Jensen whispers against the side of his head, his warm breath fanning over Jared’s ear. “’s okay, baby. ‘m here, I’ll take care’a you.” Jared realizes that he can feel all of Jensen’s warm, baby-soft skin and rippling muscles pressed against him, realizes that Jensen must have stripped his clothes off without Jared even knowing. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks again, softer this time, mouthing lazily at Jared’s neck.  
  
“I didn’t… Oh God, Jensen…” he trails off on a moan when Jensen’s hips grind down against him, his thick, perfect cock slipping between Jared’s cheeks. “I didn’t know what was goin’ on ‘til right before you got here.”  
  
“But you had a heat before…”  
  
“Two days of one that I don’t remember,” Jared mutters, distracted.  
  
“How’d this happen anyway? What ‘bout your meds?”  
  
“Jim took me off’a them a few weeks ago,” Jared admits softly, rubbing back against his mate.  
  
“Fuck, Jared. Why didn’t you tell me? That’s somethin’ that I should know.”  
  
“You’ve been so busy…” Jared trails off. “I didn’t wanna add to your stress.”  
  
“Jared,” Jensen sighs, pressing a kiss to his mating scar. “I may be pack Alpha now but most importantly, I’m still  _your_  Alpha, first and foremost. You’re what matters, baby.”  
  
Jared melts under Jensen’s frame, his words and the soft, soothing tone of his whiskey-rough voice working to help calm down the embarrassment and nerves and insecurity coursing through his body; feelings he thought he left behind five years ago when Jensen claimed him.  
  
Jensen hums softly, snaking his hand between Jared’s ass and his own hips, two fingers sliding down the cleft of Jared’s ass, circling around his rim. “God, Jare,” he groans, burying his face in Jared’s neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell so fuckin’ good. Thought somethin’ was different when I got up this mornin’ but I didn’t recognize it. ‘m sorry.”  
  
“’s okay,” Jared whispers. “Please, Jen. I need… fuck, I need you.”  
  
“’m right here. I got’cha.”  
  
Jared whines when Jensen pulls away, only to choke on a broken moan when his mate manhandles him up on to his hands and knees, his ass high in the air. Jensen bites at the back of Jared’s neck before trailing his lips and tongue down Jared’s spine, nipping at the swell of his ass before pulling his cheeks apart. The first swipe of Jensen’s tongue over Jared’s entrance causes him to cry out, his chest dropping to the mattress, pushing his ass higher.  
  
Jensen licks at his rim, two fingers sliding in next to his tongue. Jared’s eyes slam closed and his hands curl into fists in the sweaty sheets. “Alpha,” he moans, soft and breathy. Jensen moans in return and the sound vibrates through Jared’s whole body. “Please… Oh fuck, please!” Jared pleads.  
  
Jensen pulls away, kissing his way back up Jared’s spine, his hands sliding over Jared’s ribs. “You ready, love?” Jensen murmurs as soon as he’s pressed completely against Jared’s back, nipping at his earlobe.  
  
“Yes,” Jared hisses, drawing the word out. He shifts his legs apart more, tilting his ass up, thrusting back toward Jensen. “Fuck me,” he half-commands, half-begs.  
  
Jensen’s hands clamp down on Jared’s hips as he slams forward, burying himself balls deep on the first, perfect thrust. Jared screams, his fingers clawing at the mattress. Jensen doesn’t pause, pulling out right away before snapping forward again immediately, setting an almost-brutal rhythm right from the start. The sound of sweat-slick bodies slapping together is loud and obscene in the best possible way but Jared can barely hear it over the sound of his own panting and the blood rushing in his ears. Jensen presses completely against his back, one arm wrapping around Jared’s waist, kissing and biting the back of his neck.  
  
“You feel so good, baby. So amazin’ around my cock. ‘mma spend the next week fuckin’ you into this mattress, knottin’ this perfect ass over and over again ‘til you can’t fuckin’  _move_.”  
  
“Oh, God,” Jared moans. “Please, Jensen…”  
  
Jensen’s thrusts slow down, his knot catching on Jared’s rim, making it harder and harder to slide back out. Jared squeezes his eyes closed and slams backward, circling his hips, silently urging him for more. Jensen takes the hint, thrusting forward one last time, his knot pushing inside Jared and catching. Jensen grinds forward, knot swelling up almost to the point of pain and pressing perfectly against Jared’s prostate. Jensen growls and Jared feels his mate’s cock twitching inside him before the first pulse of come hits his inner muscles.  
  
It trips him over the edge himself, his untouched cock jerking as he comes hard all over the sheets, crying out Jensen’s name. “That’s it, sweetheart,” Jensen purrs, licking Jared’s mating scar again, causing a shiver to run down Jared’s spine, a few weak spurts of release dribbling from his still mostly-hard cock. “So fuckin’ perfect. So pretty when you come on just m’knot like that.” Jensen’s hips twitch a little, another pulse of come hitting Jared’s prostate. “Love you, baby.”  
  
Jared sighs softly – content and sated for the moment. “I love you, too,” he whispers.  
  
Jensen’s arms tighten around his waist and Jared can’t help but whimper when Jensen rolls them onto their sides. “Sorry,” he murmurs softly. “You okay?”  
  
“Mmhmm,” Jared hums, snuggling back further into his mate’s arms. He can feel Jensen’s cock twitch every now and then and he smiles softly, his eyes sliding closed. “’m sorry I didn’t mention that Jim took me off the meds,” he eventually says quietly.  
  
Jensen shushes him, nosing at the back of his neck. “’s okay. ‘m sorry I haven’t been around much lately. I… I promise I won’t let that happen again, Jay.” He pauses, his hand sliding over Jared’s waist, palm resting low on his belly. “Why’d he take you off? Did you ask?”  
  
Jared shakes his head, turning his upper body enough to look at Jensen over his shoulder, smiling softly when his mate presses a kiss to his lips. “He said that they’re only meant to be temporary. Could’a messed up my heats and shit if I didn’t stop takin’ ‘em.”  
  
Jensen frowns a bit, his brow furrowing and Jared reaches up, brushing the tips of his fingers over Jensen’s forehead to smooth out the wrinkled skin. “’m okay, Jensen,” Jared adds, anticipating his mate’s unasked question. “Jim said if I would’a stayed on ‘em much longer, then there might’a been some side effects. ‘s why he took me off now so we didn’t risk it.”  
  
Jensen hums softly in understanding, pressing a kiss to the side of Jared’s lips. “How long have you been…” he trails off and Jared watches a dark cloud of emotions he can’t really identify pass over Jensen’s face.  
  
“I’ve been feelin’ off for a few days,” Jared answers, knowing where his mate was going with the unfinished question. “Was really bad though when I woke up this mornin’.”  
  
“You should’a woke me up, Jare,” Jensen says softly. “I… like I said, I thought something was off last night. But you were finally willin’ to let me come back… Anyway, when I woke up this mornin’, your scent was off but it didn’t hit me what it was. I… I thought you were still mad at me.”  
  
That dark look is still present on Jensen’s beautiful face and it unnerves Jared. Reaching back as best as he can, he slides his palm over his mate’s cheek. “What’s wrong?” he damn-near whispers.  
  
“What?” Jensen asks, frowning again.  
  
“What’s this look for?”  
  
Jensen sighs and squeezes his arms around Jared. “I just… I can’t believe that you’ve been getting ready for your heat for fuckin’  _days_  and I didn’t know it,” he explains, his tone dark and full of emotions that Jared’s never heard from his mostly mild-mannered, easy going mate. Jensen searches Jared’s eyes, his face, and the most heartbreaking look enters Jensen’s leafy-green eyes. “Why’d you not want me here?” he asks softly, nowhere near the strong, powerful Alpha that Jared knows Jensen is.  
  
“Jen,” Jared breathes, sliding his hand over the one Jensen still has on his belly, twining their fingers together. “’m so sorry. When, uh, when Jim first took me off the meds, it was… overwhelming. Your scent… and all those feelings from when you first found me came back…  and I just,” Jared sighs, “I just didn’t want to burden you and honestly, your scent drove me a little crazy.”  
  
“But you never… you’ve never pulled away from me like that, even in the beginning.”  
  
“I know and I am truly sorry. I just… I didn’t know how to deal with what I was feelin’.” Jared licks his lips and inhales deeply, catching a whiff of Jensen’s left-over arousal and the hot, musky scent of sex. His eyes flutter and his cock twitches. “Jen,” he moans softly, sliding their joined hands down to his already hard-again cock.  
  
Jensen smirks and leans forward, pressing a kiss to Jared’s lips. “We’ll talk more later,” he whispers against Jared’s lips. “Now, ‘mma make you come again.” He rocks his hips, his still-swollen knot rubbing over that sweet spot deep inside Jared. “Feel good, baby?” he purrs, wrapping both their hands around Jared’s leaking cock.  
  
“Oh God,” Jared answers unhelpfully, rocking his own hips, clenching his inner muscles. Jensen hisses with the constriction around his knot, more come pulsing from his cock. “Feels amazin’, babe,” Jared finally whispers, pressing another kiss to Jensen’s lips, licking his way into his mate’s mouth.  
  
Even though it’s the second time, it doesn’t take long for Jared to come again, his eyes slamming closed as he cries out harshly. Jensen works him through it, whispering words of love and devotion against the side of his head. Once the trembling has subsided, Jared sighs and turns around fully on his side again, his eyes sliding closed. He knows that this peace won’t last – his heat will last at least a few more days and this is just the beginning.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jensen moans as Jared moves above him, writhing in Jensen’s lap, his long, lean frame sweat-slick and flushed, his heat spiking again even though it’s been a week and he thought he should be done by this point. Jensen promised that it was normal – it’s his first heat since the aborted one when he was eighteen and his body is making up for the last five years; Jared just thinks it’s because his mate is drop-dead gorgeous and sexy as hell.  
  
Jared slams his hips back, his eyes fluttering when Jensen’s knot catches his slightly-swollen rim. He grinds down, gasping when Jensen’s knot swells even more, catching completely and tying them together. Jared has already come once – Jensen’s talented tongue and fingers inside his dripping hole, his other hand pumping Jared perfectly – but he’s already hard again, leaking against his abs.  
  
He slows down to a stop, just randomly rocking in tight little figure eights. Jensen’s eyes are dark and lust-blown, possessive in a way that Jared never gets tired of seeing when Jared’s hand slides up his own thigh, his fingers wrapping slowly around his cock. His heat is making him brazen, bolder than he’s ever been. Granted, his and Jensen’s sex life has always been amazing and intense, but he’s never been one to show off, not like he feels like doing now.  
  
Making sure he has his mate’s full attention, Jared slowly drags his hand up the length of his cock, fingers sliding through the pre-come, his head tilting back slightly, baring his neck and showing off his mating scar. Jensen growls and reaches out, obviously intent on taking over for Jared. But Jared is in the mood to tease so he slaps Jensen’s hand away, matching the raised eyebrow he gets from Jensen. “Nuh uh,” he murmurs, circling his hips again as he slides his hand up and down a few times, twisting his wrist just below his swollen cock-head. “No touching. Want you to just watch, Alpha.”  
  
“Fuck,” Jensen hisses and Jared feels his cock pulse another spurt of come against his prostate. “What the fuck’s gotten into you?” he asks, both eyebrows raised. “Not that ‘m complainin’,” he quickly adds with a smirk.  
  
Jared slowly licks his lips and presses his free hand against Jensen’s chest, thumb tweaking Jensen’s nipple. Jensen bites down on his bottom lip, his hands flexing where they’re gripping Jared’s hips. “Like me like this?” Jared asks breathlessly. “Like when I show off for you? Like watchin’ me stroke myself while ‘m writhin’ on your knot?”  
  
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, baby,” Jensen growls again, his fingers digging in even more and Jared knows that there will be bruises left behind. “C’mon, sweetheart. Come for me now, Jared.”  
  
Jared’s whole body trembles and his cock twitches before he cries out hoarsely, collapsing against Jensen’s chest as he comes for what feels like the millionth time in the last week. Jensen wraps his arms around Jared’s waist, his fingers trailing lightly over the sweaty skin on the small of Jared’s back. “You okay?” Jensen asks softly but Jared can hear the smile in his tone.  
  
“Think you killed me,” Jared mutters, turning his head so that he’s resting against Jensen’s chest, his ear pressed against his mate’s heart. “Helluva way to go though.”  
  
Jensen chuckles and the movement of his body pulls on his knot and Jared whimpers, tucking himself closer to Jensen’s chest. They lie in comfortable silence for a while, Jared drifting in that hazy, post-orgasmic place between sleep and awake. Eventually, Jensen’s knot deflates enough so that he can slip free and he tips Jared onto his side of the bed, pulling the thin sheet up around his shoulders. Jared knows that they should get up and shower – he’s sticky and it’s starting to get a little gross – but he can’t convince himself to move at the moment.  
  
When he wakes up the next morning, his heat is completely gone and Jared once again feels like himself. Jensen’s spread out on his belly, limbs once again taking up more than half the bed and Jared can’t help but chuckle softly. His mate is adorable.  
  
Jensen groans when his eyes flutter open, squinting up at Jared through the early morning sunlight. Jared smiles softly and reaches out, smoothing his fingers over Jensen’s neck, over the hickeys he sucked and bit there. “’mma shower,” he says quietly. “’m a little gross.”  
  
Jensen pulls Jared up against him, inhaling deeply. “You smell amazin’. Like sex and me…” Jensen inhales again, his eyes going wide when he looks up at Jared. All traces of left-over sleepiness and softness are gone and Jensen sits up, his hands curling around Jared’s shoulders.  
  
Jared blinks, searching Jensen’s face, his eyes, for some clue what’s wrong. “Jen?” he asks, his brow furrowed.  
  
“Did Jim take you off the birth control too?” Jensen asks, his tone tense.  
  
“Uh, well, yeah. I mean, it was a combo birth control/suppressant thing. He didn’t want me back on birth control, said it could mess with my fertility. Why… what’s that got to do with anythin’? Why’re you lookin’ at me like that?” Jared asks around a frown. Jensen is practically beaming at him, his eyes soft and full of devotion.  
  
“Baby,” Jensen whispers, pulling Jared into his arms. “Shit… I… Holy fuck.”  
  
“Jensen, what?!”  
  
Jensen pushes him back enough to look Jared in the eyes, one hand smoothing his hair back off his forehead. “You… You’re pregnant, sweetheart.”  
  
Jared’s eyes widen and he stares at his mate for a long moment before shaking his head. Logically, he always knew that as a male omega, he was fertile but what Jensen’s saying doesn’t make sense. “What’re you… What… How the hell would you know?”  
  
Jensen smiles, huge yet soft and fond and loving. “I can smell it. It’s a subtle difference to our combined scents but I can still smell it.” He pauses, his breath hitching when he inhales deeply. “Oh my God… You. Jared, you’re gonna have m’baby.”  
  
Jared’s hand flutters toward his stomach all of its own accord, smoothing over the flat expanse of his abs. “Jensen, that’s just not… How could that happen?” Jensen raises both eyebrows and Jared flushes, waving his hand in the air. “I mean, I  _know_  how it could happen… But, we… this was my first heat.”  
  
“Yeah and we pretty much haven’t untied in a week, baby.” He pauses, frown taking over his smile as he searches Jared’s eyes. “Are you… Are you not happy about this?”  
  
“Jensen… I don’t… I still haven’t even wrapped my head around it,” he mutters, shaking his head. “I mean, I believe you, but I don’t… I can’t sense it.”  
  
Jensen pulls Jared against his side, pressing a kiss to Jared’s temple. “Close your eyes, sweetheart,” he whispers against Jared’s skin. He hums softly when Jared does as he’s told. “That’s it. Gimme your hand.” Jared lets Jensen take his hand, his mate’s thick fingers wrapping around his wrist as he presses Jared’s hand harder against his belly. “Inhale deeply and concentrate,” Jensen instructs softly, his breath warm where he’s speaking directly against Jared’s ear.  
  
Jared does as his mate tells him and breathes deeply, focusing on their combined scent and his own body. His eyes snap open and he gasps, pulling away to look up at Jensen. “Oh God,” he breathes, barely a sound. “I- I’m… there’s a baby…” Jared trails off, blinking helplessly at Jensen. “’m pregnant.”  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared trusts Jensen – and himself – but he still makes Jensen get up, despite the fact that it’s early as hell on a Sunday and despite Jensen’s grumbling, and makes them both take a shower, smacking his mate’s hands away when Jensen tries to get him to have some shower sex. He then makes Jensen get dressed so he can take him straight to Doc Beaver’s.  
  
Jensen chuckles – causing Jared to glare at him – and tries to pull Jared into his arms, ignoring Jared’s warning growl. “Baby, you’re like, a week along at best. And it’s seven thirty on a Sunday mornin’. This can wait.”  
  
Jared’s hand creeps toward his stomach, glaring harder at his mate. “This is our child we’re talking about, Jensen. ‘m not… There’s no way I’m gonna take any chances.”  
  
Jensen shakes his head and pulls Jared back into his arms, once again ignoring Jared’s growl. “Sweetheart, this ain’t the first pregnancy in my family. Josh has three kids and you were there last year when Mack had Will. ‘s gonna be okay.”  
  
Jared sighs and practically collapses against Jensen’s chest. “I know. But… Jen, this is our baby. And I… I have no fuckin’ clue what ‘m doin’.”  
  
Jensen cups the back of Jared’s head and scratches Jared’s scalp. “It’ll come naturally, Jare. We’ll figure things out. I promise, I’ll call Doc in a few hours and ask when he wants us to come in, ‘kay?”  
  
“Yeah, I guess.” Jared pulls back enough to look up at Jensen. “Thanks. ‘m sorry if I’m bein’ a bit crazy.” Jared leans forward and presses a kiss to Jensen’s lips. “Can you stay home with me today?” he asks softly, afraid now that his heat is over that Jensen will go back to spending every day working.  
  
“Of course, love.” Jensen dips his head and nuzzles under Jared’s jaw. “Wanna go for a run with me? Hang out in the woods all day?”  
  
Jared beams at his mate, his heart hammering against his ribs. “That sounds awesome,” he breathes. With Jensen taking over as Alpha and the pack growing over the last few years, it feels like it’s been forever since they shifted and spent the day playing in the woods.  
  
Jensen grins and tugs off his t-shirt then Jared’s. Jensen’s eyes darken when he runs his palm over Jared’s flat belly, staring at the movement of his own touch. Jared smiles and leans forward, pressing a quick kiss to Jensen’s forehead. “C’mon, babe. I wanna stretch my legs.”  
  
They head out the back door and straight toward the line of trees at the far end of the back yard. Jared watches as Jensen shifts, his pale flesh giving way to snow white fur. He’s always thought his mate was beautiful but seeing him for the first time like this since he went off the meds – and possibly the hormones starting to course through his body – it hits him just how gorgeous Jensen is – as both a man and a wolf – and just how lucky he is.  
  
Jensen looks back at him, head tilted to the side and a smirk in those leafy-green eyes. Jared inhales and lets the shift happen – no longer feeling any of the discomfort that he did at first. Jensen pads toward him, nosing at Jared’s soft under-belly for a few moments, then throws his head back and howls. Jared’s surprised by the reaction but he gets it. In his wolf form, he’s much more aware of the life growing inside him.  
  
Jared butts his head against Jensen’s, licking at his muzzle. Jensen nuzzles him in return. They spend a few moments like that until Jared gets the urge to run. He pulls away and drops his chest, his tail wagging as he playfully nips at Jensen’s front paw. His mate mock-growls and charges after him causing Jared to let out a happy bark and take off running. They end up at the lake a few miles away, swimming and playing in the water for a bit before collapsing on the bank, Jensen wrapped protectively around Jared’s back.  
  
Jared’s almost asleep when he feels Jensen tense behind him, hears the low, warning growl. Jared lifts his head, scenting the air and his hackles rise when he scents  _others_. Before he knows it, Jensen is on his feet, standing protectively in front of Jared.  
  
Two wolves that he’s never seen before – a female beta and a male Alpha, both have the same chocolate-brown color fur and hazel eyes and if Jared had to guess, he’d say that they were related – step into the clearing. They both drop down, ears back and tails pretty much tucked between their legs. Jared doesn’t scent danger but one can never be too sure, especially with unknown weres and the fact that he’s newly pregnant.  
  
The male shifts and holds his hands out as the female dips her head in submission. “It’s okay, we mean no harm,” the man states and Jared gets an odd feeling in his belly when he looks at the strange Alpha’s human form. “Are you… we were lookin’ for Alan Ackles. Or Ackles pack. Can you help us?”  
  
Jensen shifts, still standing in front of Jared. “What do you want with Alan? Or his pack?” Jared notices that Jensen doesn’t say anything about his father no longer being Alpha or that they are even part of the pack.  
  
“We, my sister and I, were hoping that he could help us. Our brother… he was raised in the human city close to their pack land…” he trails off, looking at Jensen pleadingly. “I’ve heard that they took our brother in.”  
  
Jensen drops his hand to the top of Jared’s head when he sits up, looking from Jensen to the other man. Surely they couldn’t be talking about him, could they? Jensen narrows his eyes at the other Alpha before looking down at Jared. “Go home,” he says, soft yet firm; an order. “Find my father or JD. Have them get Chris and Steve as well.” When Jared shakes his head, Jensen rubs between his ears then crouches down, rubbing pointedly at his belly. “Please, love? Go, I’ll be fine.”  
  
Jared whines but does as his mate says, taking off running faster than he ever has before.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Alan looks up, startled, when Jared bursts through the back door, panting and naked. “Alan,” he breathes, moving toward the closest he’s ever had to a real father. “There’s strangers… In the woods. They’re lookin’ for you and talkin’ about their brother that was raised by humans. I think… I think they meant me. Jensen sent me here for you. They think you’re still Alpha and Jensen didn’t mention who we are… He wants Steve and Chris as well.” Jared blinks, still panting, worried that Alan may not have understood his stumbling explanation.  
  
Alan puts a fatherly hand on his shoulder, leading him toward one of the stools at the island in the kitchen. He grabs a glass of water and shoves it into Jared’s hand. “First of all, you need to calm down, son. I’ll get JD, Steve and Chris and we’ll head out. Where did you leave Jensen?”  
  
“He made me leave!” Jared cries, unconsciously rubbing over his belly. Logically, he knows – like Jensen pointed out – that his pup can’t be any more than a week old, but the movement calms him a bit.  
  
“I know,” Alan soothes, rubbing Jared’s shoulder. “And in your condition, I’m not surprised.” Jared’s eyes snap up to his pseudo-father, blinking helplessly. Alan chuckles and shakes his head. “I can smell it, Jared. A very distinctive mix of your and Jen’s scents. It’s okay, you’ll still get to make your announcement. You’re probably only a few days along, yes?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jared whispers, feeling his cheeks heating up. “Jensen scented it this morning.”  
  
Alan pulls him into a quick hug – very uncharacteristic of the normally stoic Alpha. “Congrats, son. I’m very happy for the two of you.” He stops and gets Jared a glass of juice this time. “Now, where’s Jensen?”  
  
“At the lake. There are two, a female beta and a male Alpha.”  
  
“Very well. I’ll stop and grab Jeff and you call Steve and Chris, have them meet us at the tree line.” Jared nods and goes to head for the phone. “Oh, and Jared. Once you make the call, find Donna and have her make you something to eat, alright?”  
  
“What?! No, I’m goin’ back with you.”  
  
“No, you’re not. I may not be your Alpha but you’re still like a son to me and there’s no way that you’re going back into a situation that we’re not sure of. Besides, you know Jensen will have a fit if you come back.”  
  
Jared whines but he knows Alan is right. Still, he has to try. “Jensen is my mate. I… I can’t just sit here and do nothin’.”  
  
“You are a pregnant omega and… my son. Jensen and I will both feel better if you’re here.” Jared nods sadly and looks pleadingly at Alan, even as his heart warms with the kind words from the older man. “Don’t worry, Jared. We’ll take care of Jensen. You know we will. And we’ll make sure to bring your mate back.”  
  
Jared watches Alan take off out the back door, shifting mid-run and heading towards Jeff Morgan’s house – his second in command during his time as Alpha. He picks up the phone and calls Christian, relaying what happened and asking him to grab Steve and meet Alan and Jeff. Chris gives him the same promise that Alan did and Jared hangs up, his heart in his throat.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Donna finds him a half hour later in the back yard, staring at the tree line, waiting for any movement or sign of his mate. She sits down next to him, her arm wrapping around his shoulders and he goes easily when she pulls him against her side. She runs one hand through his hair and presses a kiss to the top of his head. “How far, sweetie?”  
  
“No more’n a week,” Jared mutters, not even pretending to not know what she’s talking about, and inhales deeply to catch her calming scent. After their initial meeting five years ago, they got very close and Jared feels like she’s his momma too – more so than with Alan. “Jen scented it this mornin’.”  
  
“That’s great, honey,” she squeezes him closer. “You know, you have four extremely strong wolves out there with him and Jensen’s stronger than all of them. He’ll be okay.”  
  
Logically, Jared knows that. But his heart and mind are not exactly seeing eye to eye right now. “How much did’ya hear?”  
  
“All of it,” she answers and he can hear the smile in her tone.  
  
“Do you think they’re talkin’ about me? That those wolves could… that they could be my brother and sister?”  
  
“I think it’s possible, honey.” She pauses, her fingers still gently carding through his hair. “What are your thoughts on that? If it’s true, I mean.”  
  
“I…” Jared stops, not sure how he feels. All his life, up until he met Jensen, he wondered where he came from. Once he found his mate and was accepted into this pack, this family, he didn’t care so much anymore. Sure, he’s curious. But the Ackles, and the rest of the pack, are his family. That’s all he’ll ever need.  
  
Before he can say anything else, Jensen comes trotting toward him. He looks fine and Jared can’t smell any blood or injury but he still jumps to his feet and runs forward, his mate shifting mid-stride to catch him when Jared launches himself at Jensen. “Don’t you ever,” Jared chokes on a broken sound and buries his face in Jensen’s neck.  
  
Jensen wraps his arms around Jared’s waist and pulls him closer. “’m sorry,” he whispers. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed you back here and safe.” He pulls away enough to press a kiss to Jared’s lips. “C’mon, we need’ta talk.”  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared follows Jensen into what used to be Alan’s office – which is now Jensen’s. He remembers the first time he followed Alan into this office, how scared and unsure he’d been. He feels the same way right now.  
  
Unlike that first time – his pack Alpha doesn’t sit behind the desk. Jensen leans against the front of it and pulls Jared between his legs, wrapping one arm around Jared’s waist. “Are you okay?” he asks softly, sliding his hand across Jared’s belly. Jared nods and leans against Jensen’s shoulder. “Thank you for staying here. My father told me you tried to argue.” Jared can hear the humor in Jensen’s low, concerned tone.  
  
He pulls back to look at Jensen, frowning. “Of course I argued. I didn’t wanna stay here when I didn’t know what was goin’ on.”  
  
“I know. But without havin’ to worry ‘bout you, I could concentrate on what needed to be done.”  
  
“Who are they, Jen?” Jared whispers. “Are they really… are they my brother and sister?”  
  
“I… I think they are. Jeff and Megan… they,” Jensen sighs, running his hand through Jared’s hair, “they knew a lot of things about you, or well you before you were adopted. Mentioned that their brother was raised by humans in a small human town outside Dallas, the town you came from.”  
  
“What…” Jared stops, clearing his throat. “How… What happened?”  
  
Jensen licks his lips and smiles sadly. “Your parents were killed right after Megan was born. You were only two. The humans adopted you. Somehow, your original pack was able to keep Jeff and Megan together.” Jensen pauses, his eyes sad. “’m so sorry, baby. They were both young as well, Jeff was only five. I think, and my father agrees, that it was because you are an omega. Not all packs… Omegas are rare. Hell, we didn’t have one until you. And some packs don’t know how to deal with them. It’s no excuse and Jeff and Megan have been looking for you for a long time now. They left their pack as soon as Meg was eighteen.”  
  
Jared’s head is reeling and he just wants to lie down. It’s been such an emotional day. First, finding out that he’s pregnant and then finding out about his siblings. He leans against Jensen’s chest, his eyes sliding closed. “What’d you tell them?” he whispers.  
  
“The truth. Once my father got there and we got the story, we agreed that it would be best to tell them everything. They’re staying in JD’s guest room… I wasn’t sure if you’d want them in the house or not.”  
  
“Can I… Can this all wait ‘til tomorrow?” Jared asks softly. “’m kinda tired and emotionally wasted right now.”  
  
“’course, love,” Jensen whispers, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I told ‘em it’d probably be a few days.”  
  
Jared smiles gratefully at his mate and lets Jensen lead him to their bedroom, even though it’s only mid-afternoon. Jensen undresses him slowly – then himself – and crawls into bed, letting Jared snuggle against his chest. “Rest, sweetheart. I’ll make you somethin’ to eat later.” Jared snorts softly and Jensen hugs him tighter. “Okay, so I’ll have mom make you somethin’ to eat later,” he amends.  
  
“Don’t forget to call Jim,” Jared murmurs as his eyes slide closed.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared wakes up several hours later to the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. His stomach rumbles and he hears Jensen chuckle softly. He jerks and snaps his head to the right, sees his mate sitting in a chair next to the bed. He must be more tired than he realized; he hadn’t even known Jensen was there.  
  
“C’mon, let’s go get you two some food,” Jensen says warmly, smiling brightly at Jared as he holds out one hand. Jared slips his palm into Jensen’s and his mate easily lifts him up. They make their way downstairs, hand in hand, and Jensen squeezes his fingers to get is attention. They stop at the bottom of the stairs and Jensen turns to him. “I called Doc,” Jensen says softly. “He wants you to come in tomorrow mornin’.”  
  
Jared nods and feels a shot of nerves curl through his belly. “Will you… Can you come with me?”  
  
“Of course, love,” Jensen assures, pressing a kiss to Jared’s lips as he pulls them toward the kitchen. Donna and Alan are surprisingly missing and Jared shoots Jensen a questioning look. Jensen shrugs and rubs the back of his neck. “Figured you’d just want it to be me n’ you tonight,” he explains softly as he leads Jared to the table. “Mom cooked then her and Dad went to JD’s for the evening.”  
  
Jared smiles and hugs his mate. Jensen didn’t have to explain that Donna cooked. As much as he loves Jensen, the man is a disaster in the kitchen. “Thank you,” he whispers, pushing Jensen into the seat and dropping down into his lap. Jensen wraps his arms around Jared’s waist and smiles up at him. Jared cringes as he remembers that he needs to tell Jensen that their secret isn’t a secret anymore. “I, uh, I need’ta tell ya somethin’,” he mutters.  
  
“What is it, baby?” Jensen urges, concern thick in his tone.  
  
“Donna and Alan know,” Jared whispers. Jensen quirks an eyebrow and Jared huffs a sigh. “About the baby, Jen.”  
  
Jensen smiles brightly and tugs Jared closer against his chest. “Of course they do,” Jensen laughs. “They knew Mack was pregnant before she did.” Jared knows that he’s exaggerating but it makes him feel better. “They’re my parents, practically yours as well. They can scent it almost as easy as I did.”  
  
They lapse into comfortable silence, Jensen feeding Jared the amazing pot roast that Donna made. It’s wonderfully intimate and Jared feels newly mated all over again. By the time they’ve finished the melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake, he’s half-hard and leaking so much he’s sure it’s soaked clean through his own clothes and probably Jensen’s as well.  
  
Jensen buries his face in Jared’s neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell so good,” he says softly, his tone rough and gravely already and Jared can feel his cock pressing against his ass. “I want you,” he adds with a growl, nipping at his mark on Jared’s neck.  
  
Jared throws his head back and moans, his eyes sliding closed. “Alpha,” he breathes, grinding down against his mate’s obvious arousal.  
  
Jensen doesn’t waste any time, picking Jared up and carrying him toward the living room – the closest room with someplace soft. Jared whimpers when Jensen spreads him out on the rug in front of the fire, licking his sandpaper-dry lips. “What about-“  
  
“Shh,” Jensen cuts him off. “We’ve got a few hours ‘fore anyone’ll be home.” He settles between Jared’s thighs, grinding down against him. “Can’t wait, baby. Wanna fuck you.”  
  
Jared moans again and thrust his hips up. “Well, what’re you waitin’ for? Get on with it.”  
  
“Impatient bitch,” Jensen growls, playfully nipping at Jared’s bottom lip.  
  
“’s your fault,” Jared rasps, head already spinning. “So hot, Jen.”  
  
Jensen growls again and rips Jared’s sweat pants and boxer briefs off in one move, tossing them over his shoulder. Jared bites down on his bottom lip, watching wide-eyed as Jensen strips himself damn-near just as quickly. He spreads his legs wide, tilting his hips up in obvious invitation. Jensen doesn’t hesitate, just presses forward, sinking into Jared in one steady push. With the all the sex they’ve had in the last week, Jared hardly needs prep, his entrance easily accepting Jensen’s thick, perfect cock.  
  
His mate picks up a quick, almost brutal rhythm right from the start. Jared cries out and wraps his legs around Jensen’s waist, his arms stretched out over his head. “So perfect,” Jensen murmurs, sliding his hands up Jared’s arms, his fingers wrapping around Jared’s wrists. “Can’t get enough’a you.”  
  
Jared can already feel Jensen’s knot swelling, the twinge when he presses forward all the way and pulls back, the swollen flesh catching on his rim. He cries out again, his back arching when Jensen slams forward once more, grinding his hips, tying them together. He damn-near purrs in satisfaction when Jensen’s knot presses against his sweet-spot and he feels Jensen’s cock pulsing a split-second before his mate growls out Jared’s name. “That’s it, babe,” Jared whispers against Jensen’s lips. “Give it to me.”  
  
Jensen hums low in his throat, his hips twitching with the first pulse of his release. After a few moments, he pulls away enough to wrap his fingers around Jared’s cock. “Come for me, sweetheart,” he urges, twisting his wrist on the up-stroke and Jared’s orgasm rips through him.  
  
Jensen settles down against his chest, most of his weight on his forearms around Jared’s head. They kiss slow and lazy as Jensen continues to come, his release filling Jared up, hitting his over-sensitive prostate. “I love you,” Jared murmurs against his mate’s lips, his eyes sliding closed with a pleased sigh.  
  
“I love you, too,” Jensen replies softly, pressing another kiss to his lips. “Rest, baby. I’ll take ya upstairs in a bit.” Jared hums in agreement, already mostly asleep.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared’s stomach is in knots by the time they knock on Jim’s door the next morning. Thankfully, the amazing sex had worn him out and he was able to sleep but when he woke up and was reminded of their appointment, the nerves were back full force.  
  
Jensen is a calm, steady presence next to him, his fingers twined with Jared’s, seemingly not even noticing the fact that Jared is digging his fingernails into the back of his hand hard enough to almost draw blood. Jim is all smiles when he opens the door, looking back and forth between them. “Boys,” he says brightly, “So good to see you two.” He pulls them both into a quick hug before leading Jared inside with one hand under his elbow. “C’mon, son. Let’s go see what’s up with this little one.”  
  
They follow Jim back into one of the rooms and Jensen takes a seat next to the exam table, automatically curling his fingers with Jared’s when he reaches out. They get all the primary information out of the way first, writing everything down into a new file that he started for Jared and the pup. After a few questions, he pulls the ultrasound machine over and gently guides Jared back against the table. “Gel might be a bit chilly, Jay,” he warns, his kind blue eyes crinkling when he smiles. “Now, we won’t be able to see much this time around, what with the pup bein’ so new and all but we’ll at least be able to see him or her and hopefully get an idea at the conception date.”  
  
Jared hisses at the chilly gel but his eyes are glued to the grainy black and white images on the screen as Jim moves the transducer around. “Ah ha,” Jim eventually laughs and Jared’s eyes widen at the small blob on the screen. “There’s your pup,” he says, eyes shining happily.  
  
Jared manages to tear his stinging eyes away from the screen to look at Jensen. His mate is smiling and he can see a tell-tale wetness in his eyes. Jensen licks his lips and leans forward to press a kiss to Jared’s lips. “Jen,” Jared breathes. “’s our baby. Look at what we did.”  
  
“I see,” Jensen chuckles, turning back to the screen.  
  
Jim smiles at the two of them before taking a few measurements. “Well, you’re a little over a week along, Jay.”  
  
Jared blushes and dips his head. That means that Jensen got him pregnant the first day. “Shouldn’t that have stopped my heat?” he asks softly.  
  
“Normally, yes. But since you didn’t have a heat for so long…” Jim trails off on a shrug. “Next time a successful breeding will stop it.” Jared can’t even wrap his head around ‘next time’; he’s still struggling with _this_  time. “Alright, kiddo. Wanna see you back here in a month. Unless somethin’ comes up beforehand.”  
  
Jared nods and sits up, wiping off his belly with the cloth Jim hands him. “Anything special we need’ta know?” Jensen asks, still holding Jared’s hand.  
  
“Not really,” Jim answers, digging through one of the drawers behind him. “Here’s some info for y’all. But was there somethin’ specific you had in mind?” he asks knowingly.  
  
“What ‘bout sex?” Jensen asks, unconcerned by the blush on Jared’s cheeks and the squeak that falls from his lips.  
  
Jim laughs and shakes his head. “Ah, young love,” he mutters. “You’ll be fine for now. I’ll tell you if things change.”  
  
Jim leads them out toward the front door, Jensen carrying the pamphlets and paperwork and Jared trying his best not to die of embarrassment. Sure, Jim knows that they have sex – Jared is pregnant after all, and the older beta was the one to help Jared overcome his nerves five years ago – but he still can’t believe Jensen blurted it out like that.  
  
As soon as they’re outside, Jared smacks his mate’s shoulder. Jensen looks over at him, eyes wide with fake innocence and a devilish smirk. “What, baby?”  
  
“Don’t you ‘what, baby’ me,” he huffs. “I can’t believe you asked that.”  
  
Jensen laughs – bright and loud – and wraps his arm around Jared’s waist. “Aw, c’mon, sweetheart. Jim knows that we’ve had sex.”  
  
“So not the point, Jensen.”  
  
Jensen snorts and shakes his head. “Well, ‘m sorry but I wanted to know if I could keep knottin’ that sweet ass.”  
  
Jared narrows his eyes at his mate, shaking his head as well. “Keep shit up like that and you won’t be,” he threatens, even though they both know it is all empty words.  
  
Jensen chuckles again and pulls Jared closer. “Yeah,” he mutters. “Like that’d happen.”  
  
Jared smells the scent of unknown weres as soon as they enter the house and the playful mood and bickering stop instantly as uncertainty rises in Jared’s stomach again. Donna and Alan are in the living room with Jeff and Megan. His siblings – Jesus Christ, he doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to that – look up at him, smiling tentatively. Donna gets up and pulls Jared into a hug. “’s okay if you’re not ready, sweetie,” she whispers against his ear, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Alan steps past, patting him on the shoulder with a fond, fatherly smile.  
  
Jared watches his surrogate parents head off toward the kitchen and turns toward his mate. Jensen shrugs one shoulder, leaving it up to Jared. Inhaling deeply, he grabs Jensen’s hand and heads into the living room. Megan’s hazel eyes – almost the same color as his own – are wide and wet and she smiles shyly at him. “Oh, JT,” she mutters. “’s so good to see you.”  
  
Jared swallows thickly and curls up in Jensen’s lap when his mate sits down in the chair facing the couch. He looks back and forth between his siblings and shakes his head. “This is,” he stops, clearing his throat, “this is a lot to take in,” he eventually mutters softly. “And I need time to wrap my head around it. I… I hope you understand that.” Jensen tightens his arms around Jared’s waist. “’m not saying ‘no’ or ‘never’… I just. I just need time. Please?”  
  
Jeff nods and pulls Megan against his side. There are tears streaming down his sister’s – his little sister his mind supplies – face but she smiles at him, even if it’s a little sad. “Of course,” Jeff says, emotions held in check, every inch the Alpha that he is. “Alan has our contact information and we’re just up in San Antonio so we’re not too far. You call whenever you’re ready, alright?”  
  
Jared nods and watches Jeff and Megan walk out the front door. Jensen rubs one hand up and down his back, his lips pressing to Jared’s temple. “You okay?” he asks softly.  
  
“Not really,” Jared sighs, leaning closer to Jensen’s chest, soaking up the calm, steady presence of his Alpha.  
  
“Wanna talk about it?”  
  
Jared’s eyes slide closed and he rests his head against Jensen’s. “I feel bad that I can’t just let them in. They’re my siblings. I feel guilty.”  
  
“Baby, no,” Jensen sighs, squeezing Jared’s waist. “You have nothin’ to feel guilty about. Sure, they’re your siblings but you haven’t seen them in twenty-one years. And you were only two when you were taken away, you don’t even remember them. And with the pup…” he trails off, rubbing his hand over Jared’s belly, “’s gonna be your natural instinct to want to protect him or her, to keep strangers away. You’re just askin’ for time. They have to understand that.”  
  
Jared presses a kiss to Jensen’s lips. “I love you,” he breathes.  
  
“I love you, sweetheart. Both of you.”  
  
Jared can’t help the beaming smile that splits his face in two.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
The next few months are kind of a blur to Jared. Between appointments with Jim and still working at the school part-time, helping Jensen with pack business and getting the nursery ready, before he knows it, he’s four months along and safely passed his first trimester.  
  
They’d talked and decided to hold off on telling anyone until they got past three months. The only people who knew were Jensen’s parents and Jim. But now that he’s to this point, Jensen feels that it’s a good time to make the announcement to the rest of the pack. He sets up a celebration for next week and Jared tries to keep the nerves at bay.  
  
Jensen meets him at Jim’s for his sixteen week check-up. His mate looks stressed, a little distracted, and Jared can’t help but frown a bit. “Jen? What’s wrong, babe?” he asks softly while he gets settled on the exam table, waiting for Jim to return.  
  
“Nothin’,” Jensen assures him, bringing their joined hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to Jared’s knuckles.  
  
“I can do this alone, if you’re busy,” Jared mutters.  
  
“No,” Jensen damn-near growls. “Not a chance. I told you I’d be here. And I meant that.”  
  
Jim comes back in and Jared pulls his t-shirt up over his bump. He barely flinches when the cool gel hits his belly, his eyes locked on Jensen’s for the moment. Jim moves the transducer around a bit until he stops and Jared’s eyes snap to the screen. “Well, there’s your pup, boys,” Jim announces happily. Jared can just make out the beginning of features; nose and mouth and things that actually make it look like a baby, not a blob. “It’s bein’ a bit of a show-off today. Y’all wanna know the sex?”  
  
They hadn’t really talked about it, but Jared knows instantly that he wants to know. He glances at Jensen, smiling softly when he sees his mate staring at the screen, at their child, transfixed. “I do,” Jared says softly. “Jen?” Jensen turns his head, blinking at Jared in confusion. “You wanna know what we’re havin’?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jensen breathes.  
  
They both turn back to the screen and Jim flips a switch and air is filled with the rapid  _shush, shush, shush_ of their child’s heartbeat. Tears fill Jared’s eyes and Jim smiles at them. “Say hello to your son, boys.”  
  
Jared inhales deeply, his fingers squeezing Jensen’s so hard his knuckles are aching. “A boy,” he whispers. “Jen… a boy.”  
  
“I… We made a boy?” Jensen mutters, more question than statement. He drags his gaze away from the screen and Jared sees a sheen of tears in his Alpha’s eyes. “Jare,” he breathes.  
  
Jim wipes Jared’s belly off and Jensen helps him sit up. The older beta leaves the room and Jensen grabs Jared’s hand, tugging him out of the room and out the front door, not stopping until they’re inside their own house. The house is empty, thankfully, and Jensen continues right on up the stairs, finally stopping when they’re in their bedroom.  
  
Jensen turns to Jared, a shit-ton of emotions in his beautiful, leafy-green eyes. “I… Did you hear his heartbeat?” Jensen asks and Jared’s pretty sure that was a rhetorical question but he nods all the same, smiling at the beaming grin on Jensen’s face.  
  
To his surprise, Jensen drops to his knees, his face pressed against Jared’s belly. Jared feels wetness against his t-shirt and his own throat tightens with emotions. Sure, logically he’s known all along that he’s pregnant, but seeing his son starting to take form, hearing his heartbeat, makes it so much more real.  
  
And apparently, it is hitting Jensen just as hard.  
  
Jensen climbs to his feet after a while, his cheeks flushed and his eyes glassy but he’s not actively crying anymore. He undresses Jared and himself in silence and pulls Jared into bed, wrapping protectively around Jared and their pup. They spend the rest of the day just like that.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared’s six months along when the urge to contact his siblings hits him. He’s been nesting a lot lately, and being pregnant has had him thinking about family more and more. Jensen doesn’t question him, just gets the info from his dad and makes the call. Now Jeff and Megan are going to be there tomorrow and Jared’s nerves have kicked back in.  
  
What if they don’t like him? What if they feel the same way that their previous pack did about him being an omega? What if they have a problem with his unborn pup because of it?  
  
Thinking of any perceived threat to his child has his hackles rising and his hand slides across the swell of his belly. He hears movement from the door, turning around to growl at the intruder before he realizes that it’s just Jensen.  
  
His mate’s eyes widen for a fraction of a second before going soft and fond, a grin curling up his lips. It’s the same look that he always gets when Jared does something that Jensen claims is ‘adorable’. Jared doesn’t feel so adorable right now.  
  
He’s huge – fucking big-headed Alpha knocking him up with his freakish genes; he’s purposely not thinking about the fact that he’s taller than Jensen, the baby’s size is All. Jensen’s. Fault. – and his back aches and his ankles are swollen and his hormones are all over the place. Right now? He feels like bashing his mate’s stupidly too-pretty face in.  
  
“Stop lookin’ at me like that,” Jared growls, turning back toward the nursery wall, tilting his head. Yesterday, he’d loved the color he had Chris, Steve and Jensen paint it. Today, he wants to knock the whole wall down and start all over.  
  
Jensen – brave, stupid fucker that he is – chuckles softly and enters Jared’s inner sanctum, right into his personal space, pressing close to Jared’s back. His mate’s scent overwhelms him and Jared’s nose scrunches up. “You fuckin’ reek,” Jared mutters.  
  
“Aw, baby,” Jensen purrs ridiculously. “You usually love my scent.”  
  
“That was before you impregnated me with your freak, Alpha seed and now ‘m carryin’ a fuckin’ giant.”  
  
Jensen chuckles again – seriously, he’s really pushing his freaking luck – and kisses Jared’s mating scar. Despite his frustration and anger and irritation with his mate, that spot always sends a shiver down his spine and Jensen is a dirty fucking cheater because he knows it. “Our pup is not a giant. Jim said he’s right on track, development-wise.”  
  
“Then why am I so fuckin’ huge?” Jared pushes, even as his eyes slide closed when Jensen tongues at his mark.  
  
“You’re not,” Jensen argues gently. “I’ve told you. You’re fuckin’ beautiful, sweetheart. Now I think you’re just sayin’ it ‘cause you’re fishin’ for compliments,” he teases.  
  
Jared whimpers when Jensen bites down gently on the sensitive flesh surrounding his mark – his Alpha loves showing attention to the mark just as much as Jared enjoys when he does it. His cock is hardening and his hole is already leaking – freaking pregnancy hormones making him horny all the time; he has two moods, horny and angry, lately – but still he argues, “’m not fishin’ for anything. And you… You’re just all puffed up and proud and…  _Alpha_ … about the fact that you knocked me up on the first try with a boy.”  
  
Logically, Jared knows he’s being ridiculous. But his pregnancy brain isn’t as logical as his non-pregnancy brain.  
  
Jensen outright laughs at that, pressing a kiss to the back of Jared’s neck before turning him around. “Oh, baby,” he manages to get out around his laughter. “You’re adorable. And I love the hell outta you.” He trails off, tilting his head as he looks at Jared, obviously scenting his arousal. “Well,” he drawls, sliding his hand up Jared’s thigh. “Feelin’ frisky, omega?”  
  
Jared frowns, hating the way his body reacts to Jensen right now – even with the cheesy lines. “No,” he lies, pulling away from Jensen’s touch even though his whole body is screaming at him to submit and drop to his knees, present his Alpha his ass. He turns back to the wall, closes his eyes to fight back the bite of tears. Goddamn motherfucking hormones! “What time are they comin’ tomorrow?” Jared asks, his tone breaking slightly, trying to distract Jensen from… other things.  
  
Jensen’s hands slide up his back, kneading at the tense muscles as he goes. “What’s wrong? And don’t say nothin’ ‘cause I know better.” He puts just enough firmness into the question to make it a command and Jared can’t refuse. Stupid biology.  
  
Jared sighs and drops his head, his eyes stinging with the tears he refuses to let fall. “What if they don’t like me, Jen?” he asks softly. His emotions are all over the damn place right now.  
  
Jensen sighs and steps around to face Jared again, gently grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward the sturdy, huge rocking chair in the room. He sits down and pulls Jared down into his lap. Jared fights, trying to pull away but Jensen will always be stronger than him. “Jen. No,” he whines.  
  
“Shh,” Jensen shushes. “You’re not gonna hurt me. I know that’s what you’re thinkin’.” Jared sighs and lets his mate pull him down. Jensen wraps his arms around Jared’s waist, one palm rubbing his stomach. “I don’t think it’s gonna be an issue but if it is, then they can just fuckin’ leave and never come back. You have family, Jared. We’re your family. If those two are that narrow-minded then you don’t need ‘em.” Jensen presses a kiss to the side of Jared’s lips – where his dimple would be if he smiled – and whispers against his skin, “But you are fuckin’ perfect, baby. And ‘m sure they’ll love you, just like everyone else does.”  
  
Jared looks up at his mate, a few tears escaping the tight hold he’s trying to keep on his emotions. “Sap,” he rasps, trying to lighten the moment with a joke. “All fear the ruthless Alpha of Ackles pack.”  
  
Jensen mock-growls at him, tightening his arms around his waist. “Want me to show you a ruthless Alpha?”  
  
“Hm,” Jared hums, wiggling on Jensen’s lap just to hear the moan that erupts from Jensen’s throat. “Maybe. But not in here.” Jensen frowns and tilts his head. “Jensen,” Jared sighs. “This is our son’s room. We’re not having sex in here.” Jared’s stomach – and their son – chooses that moment to remind Jared that it’s been a whole, whooping two hours since he ate. “Actually, we’re not having sex at all. Your son’s hungry.” Jensen pouts ridiculously and Jared laughs, patting his Alpha on the cheek. “Aw, ‘s okay, babe. I’ll make it up to you.”  
  
After his lunch, Jared wonders toward his mate’s office, surprised to find him there and not his office in town. “What’re you doin’ here?” he asks, leaning against the door.  
  
“Told the council that I’d been workin’ from here for a few days,” Jensen replies, smiling when he looks up from his paperwork. “You two eat?”  
  
“Mmhmm,” Jared hums. He inhales deeply and gets a whiff of his mate but unlike up in the nursery earlier, it doesn’t make him want to claw Jensen’s eyes out. No, it makes him want to do filthy, dirty things to his sexy mate. Doesn’t help that Jensen’s wearing his glasses and his hair is a little ruffled where he obvious ran his hand through it.  
  
Jensen tracks him silently as he moves further into the room, closing and locking the door behind him. One of his eyebrows shoot up and a smirk curls up one side of those plump, wet-dream inducing lips. Jensen pushes his chair back from the desk to make room for Jared, his hands automatically gripping Jared’s hips. “You busy?” Jared asks, leaning against the desk, bracing his hands behind him.  
  
Jensen looks up at him, a flirty, filthy smirk curling up his lips but Jared can see the love and devotion in his eyes. “Never too busy for you,” he says softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to Jared’s t-shirt-covered belly.  
  
“That’s good,” Jared murmurs, tugging off his shirt and tossing it blindly over his shoulder. Jensen’s hands spread wide over his belly, dipping his tongue into Jared’s belly button, nipping at the small indention.  
  
Jensen’s gaze drops down to his crotch where Jared’s cock is obscenely tenting the front of his sweats, material darkening where he’s leaking pre-come against the soft cotton, before flicking back up to Jared’s face. His mate’s eyes are dark, familiar leafy-green barely visible. “Somethin’ you wanted, Jare?” he teases, nipping at Jared’s hipbone where it’s showing above the waist of his low-slung sweats.  
  
“Hm,” Jared hums, pretending to think about it. “Seem to remember somethin’ starting upstairs before we were interrupted,” he murmurs, sliding his hand through his mate’s already mused hair. “Thought we could pick up where we left off.”  
  
Jensen shoves his sweats down a little, his hands sliding over Jared’s ass. He smirks when Jensen’s gaze snaps back up to his, his eyes darkening even more. “Commando?” he growls, palming Jared’s ass, pulling his cheeks apart so much that Jared can feel air hitting his leaking hole, rim stretching deliciously. He leans forward, mouthing at the shiny-wet head of Jared’s aching cock. “You wanna ride me, sweetheart? Wanna climb into my lap and let me shove my cock – my knot – into this pretty little ass?” Jared whimpers, trying to squirm closer. “Uh uh,” Jensen scolds playfully. “Gotta answer the question ‘fore you get more, baby.”  
  
Jared gasps, fresh slick dripping from his entrance, his hole quivering. He will never admit it, but he loves when Jensen gets like this, playful but forceful, every bit the Alpha. “Please,” he whispers, arching his back. “Please, babe. Need you.”  
  
“As much as I love to hear you beg so pretty for me,” Jensen drawls, nipping at Jared’s hip again, “I believe I asked a question.”  
  
“Yes,” Jared hisses, vaguely remembering what Jensen’s question was, but not really caring; he’d agree to just about anything right now to get that perfect, thick cock inside him. “Anythin’, Alpha,” he adds, breathlessly. Jensen growls and stands up long enough to pull his shirt off and shove his jeans and boxer briefs down to mid-thigh. He reaches for his glasses, intending to take them off but Jared grabs his wrist, gasping out a harsh, “No.”  
  
Jensen drops his hand, one eyebrow quirked. It takes him a second but Jared sees the moment Jensen gets it and a blush heats his cheeks even more than from the arousal zinging through his body. “Got a glasses kink I didn’t know about, sweetheart?”  
  
“Jen,” Jared whines.  
  
“Shh,” his mate murmurs. “’s okay, love.” Jensen slowly pushes Jared’s sweats all the way down, steadying Jared when he steps out of the material. He wraps one arm around Jared’s waist, tugging him closer, dipping his head to take Jared’s cock all the way into his mouth.  
  
Jared cries out, his head falling back, his eyes slamming closed at the sensation of tight, wet heat surrounding his cock. Jensen stops – Jared just barely manages to not whimper – and nips at Jared’s thigh in warning. “Eyes open, baby. Look at me.” Jared forces himself to lift his head and look down at his mate. “There you go,” Jensen purrs, pressing at kiss to Jared’s leaking slit. “Keep your eyes open. Watch me.”  
  
Jared does whimper when Jensen takes his cock back into his mouth, setting a fast, sloppy rhythm, his fist wrapped around the base as his other hand slides back, two fingers pressing into him instantly. “Holy fuckin’ shit,” Jared gasps, his eyes fluttering but not closing. He’s torn between thrusting forward into Jensen’s talented mouth or back onto those thick, skillful fingers. Thankfully, his mate takes the decision away from him, working both hands and his mouth in tandem.  
  
Jensen keeps going, pushing Jared closer and closer to the edge but he doesn’t want to come this way, wants to come on his mate’s knot. “Jensen,” he rasps. “Close… please.”  
  
Jensen tightens his fist around the base of Jared’s cock, effectively choking off Jared impending orgasm. “Easy,” he murmurs, scooting his chair closer to the desk and urging Jared into his lap. “That’s it, baby. C’mon, c’mere.”  
  
Jared climbs into Jensen’s lap, moaning when his mate’s thick, long cock slides along the cleft of his ass. He tilts his hips just enough, moaning once again when the swollen cock-head catches his rim. “Jensen,” he breathes, his fingers digging into his mate’s biceps hard enough to bruise.  
  
“Go on, love,” Jensen murmurs. “Take it.” Jensen’s hands tighten on his hips, helping Jared sink down on Jensen’s rock-hard, blood-thick length. Jensen groans when Jared drops his hips, taking him to the hilt in one quick slide. “So wet, Jay. Always so wet for me.”  
  
“Always,” Jared agrees, breathlessly. He rolls his hips, moaning when Jensen hits his prostate perfectly. “God, Jensen… so big. Feels so good inside me. Make me so wet, so hard. Want you, so bad.”  
  
“Got me,” Jensen whispers, rocking his hips up against Jared’s ass, his knot already starting to catch on Jared’s rim. Jared writhes in his lap, rolling his hips hard and fast. “That’s it, my beautiful omega. Ride my cock. Make yourself come for me.”  
  
Jared forces himself to let go of Jensen’s bicep, wrapping his hand around his cock, smearing the steadily leaking pre-come down his shaft. “Jensen… Gonna… Oh fuck. Gonna come.”  
  
“Do it,” Jensen growls.  
  
Jared can feel his mate’s knot, almost full, pulling at his rim every time he slides forward and the slight burn, the added pleasure/pain, violently shoves him over the edge. “Alpha!” he cries out, eyes locked with Jensen’s when his cock twitches and pulses, his release shooting over his swollen belly and high up on Jensen’s chest.  
  
Jensen’s hands tighten on his hips and he shoves Jared down, grinding his hips up against him and Jared’s cock pulses another weak spurt of come when his knot catches and holds. “Mine,” his Alpha growls, his cock twitching, knot pulsing, inside Jared’s still fluttering channel, first wave of his seed hitting Jared’s over-sensitive prostate.  
  
“Yours,” he breathes, leaning forward to press a kiss to his mate’s parted lips. He pulls back, giggling when he pulls Jensen’s glasses off his face. Jensen quirks a brow and Jared holds up them up. “Got come on your glasses, babe.”  
  
Jensen chuckles – the movement shaking his whole body, his knot tugging at Jared’s rim. Jared groans, his still half-hard cock twitching, well on its way to rehardening. Jensen wraps his hand around Jared’s sticky length and slowly starts to stroke him. Jared squirms – which causes Jensen to moan, another pulse of come painting his inner muscles – the touch too much this soon but he wants it.  
  
They spend the next hour tied together, Jensen wringing two more orgasms from him, leaving Jared a sweaty, boneless heap against his chest. Once his knot slips free, Jensen picks Jared up and carries him upstairs and tucks him into their bed.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared’s nerves are a wreck and he’s pacing the living room, waiting for his mate to get back with Jeff and Megan. He rubs one hand over his belly, trying to soothe his restless son. His tiny pup is obviously picking up on his anxiety and is not happy about it. He doesn’t hear the front door open, has been so distracted and scatter-brained lately that he’s having trouble scenting his mate even with the heightened pregnancy senses.  
  
“Shh,” Jared mutters, rubbing his belly. “C’mon, baby boy. Let up a little, please? You’re killin’ me here. I promise it’ll be over soon. Papa’ll be back soon.” Their son always calms down when Jensen’s near, especially when he hears his papa’s voice.  
  
“Oh my God.”  
  
Jared stops pacing, whirls around toward the front hallway, his eyes going wide when he sees his mate standing there with his stunned brother and sister. Tears sting his eyes and he looks helplessly at Jensen. This was his worse fear; that his siblings would have a problem with him being pregnant.  
  
Jensen moves to his side instantly, curling his arm around Jared’s waist, other hand resting on the swell of Jared’s stomach. “Problem, Jeff?” Jensen asks, tone tense and protective and Jared melts against his mate’s side. He realizes that Jensen was right, that deep down, he always knew Jensen was right. He doesn’t need these people. He has Jensen – and their pack – and soon their son, and that’s all he’ll ever need.  
  
“No,” Jeff stutters. “Just didn’t… We didn’t know he was pregnant.”  
  
Jared inhales deeply, straightening his spine. “Is that a problem?” he asks, wincing when their son kicks Jensen’s hand. Sure, his papa is home but Jared’s still tense and the pup is making his displeasure known.  
  
To his surprise, Megan moves forward, tears in her hazel eyes. Jared tenses even more, a low growl working its way out of his throat. She wisely stops, both hands held out in front of her. “’m not gonna hurt you,” she whispers. “Or your pup.” Jared relaxes marginally and his sister moves a little closer. “We’re… Of course there’s no problem, JT. It was just a surprise to see you pregnant so young.”  
  
Jared frowns, his hand cradling his belly now. “Jensen and I have been mated for over five years,” he explains, holding his head up high. “And I may be an omega but I’m pack Beta and we’re more than ready to start our family.”  
  
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she insists quickly. “’s just… You’re only two years older than me and I can’t imagine…’s just amazing to see you like this,” she settles on instead of whatever she was going to say first. Jared nods and lets go of some of the tension in his frame.  
  
His back is starting to ache from standing for so long so he flops down on the chair closest to him, not caring if it’s rude or if his mate and siblings follow or not. They do of course and Jared waits until Jeff and Megan are seated across from him, Jensen perched on the arm of his chair. He stares at Jeff, waiting for either of them to say something. He may be curious but he’s sure as hell not going to start this.  
  
Jensen rubs his shoulders, teasing one hand through his hair, fingertips gently scratching behind his ear, his fingers trailing down to his mating scar. All those are things that Jensen does in both his wolf and human form to calm him and he’s grateful for his mate’s steady, silent strength beside him.  
  
“How far along are you?” Megan eventually asks, smiling softly at Jared.  
  
“Little over six months.”  
  
Megan asks the typical pregnancy questions and the more Jared talks about his unborn pup, the better he feels. Jeff has been extremely quiet, looking back and forth between Jared and Megan. Eventually, even though Jared said he wasn’t going to do it, he turns to Jeff, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Do you have the same problem with me that your pack did?” Jared asks bluntly.  
  
“What?! No, Jared. Not at all…” he trails off, running one hand through his hair. “I’m just… I can’t believe that we finally found you. And it’s just… I guess it’s taking a lot to get used to. I-I’m happy that you’ve found your mate and that you’re happy here.” He pauses, swallowing thickly. “It’s a lot,” he repeats quietly.  
  
Jared frowns and tilts his head to the side, unsure what exactly Jeff means by that. Jeff smiles sadly before continuing. “We’ve been looking for you for a long time, Jared. And I guess I just thought…” he pauses, inhaling deeply. “I guess I hadn’t thought about the fact that you’d have a mate already. That you’d have this life here and that me and Meggie wouldn’t be a part of it. We wanted you to come back to San Antonio with us, back home.”  
  
Jared sits up straight from where he’d been leaning back in the chair, Jensen’s hand falling off his shoulder with the sudden move. “There’s no way,” Jared damn-near growls – his tone close to mirroring Jensen’s when he’s in full-on Alpha mode. “This is my home. This is my family. I have a wonderful mate and life here. ‘m about to have a pup in a few months. That… that‘s impossible.”  
  
Jeff is still smiling sadly and shakes his head. “I know that,” he agrees quietly. “And there’s no way that seeing you now, like this, would I even think that we could get you to leave. Honestly, I wouldn’t wanna try.” He glances at Jensen before looking back at Jared.  
  
Jared nods and curls up more against Jensen’s side. He’s exhausted, the pregnancy making him tired all the time now days and the emotional toll this meeting has taken on him. Jensen leans down and presses a kiss to the top of his head. “You tired, sweetheart?” he whispers. Jared looks up at him and nods. Jensen kisses his upturned face and smiles. “Okay, hold on.” He turns toward Jeff and Megan. “He needs some rest,” he states, leaving no room for argument. “You’re welcome to stay in the guest rooms down here. I’m sure there’ll be more to talk about later.”  
  
Jensen gets to his feet at the same time Jeff does. Jared’s surprised when Jeff reaches out to shake Jensen’s hand. “Thank you, Alpha,” he says politely. “We’d very much appreciate the place to stay. We’d like to spend some more time with Jared, get to know him a bit.”  
  
Jensen nods and turns around to help Jared to his feet and up the stairs. Jared sighs when Jensen strips him down completely and settles him onto their huge mattress. He leans down, pressing a sweet kiss to Jared’s forehead. “Get some rest, baby,” he murmurs.  
  
Jared grabs the back of Jensen’s neck before he can pull away. “Stay with me?” Jared whispers, nuzzling Jensen’s cheek.  
  
“Of course, love. Whatever you want.” Jensen strips down himself and pulls Jared’s hugely pregnant body against his. He trails one hand lightly up and down Jared’s spine, humming contently when their pup kicks him. “That’ll never stop being amazin’,” Jensen says softly, awe in his tone.  
  
Jared snorts. “Speak for yourself,” he mutters, rolling his eyes. “That shit hurts from this end.”  
  
Jensen noses through his hair, his arms tightening around Jared’s waist. “How’re you doin’?”  
  
“’m tired and my back hurts…” Jared replies.  
  
“No, I mean about what happened downstairs.”  
  
Jared sighs and turns more toward his mate. “I don’t… I don’t know,” he sighs again, sweeping his gaze up to meet Jensen’s. “There’s a part of me that wants to get to know them. Then there’s a part of me that’s not sure.”  
  
“What aren’t you sure about? They both seemed to not share their former pack’s opinion about omegas and I think the pregnancy was really just more of a shock, like they explained.” He pauses, hesitating slightly. “You are young…”  
  
“Mack is a year younger than me and she had a baby last year,” Jared points out.  
  
“I know,” Jensen rushes to assure. “But we… you were really young when we mated… but it sometimes doesn’t seem like you’re only twenty-three. And not to mention what all you went through before I even met you… it made you grow up faster than all of us.” Jensen presses a kiss to his lips, smiling when Jared lets out a contented sigh.  
  
“You think I should get to know them,” Jared says softly, more statement than question.  
  
“I do,” Jensen answers anyway. “There’s no way in hell that they’re gonna take you away from here though,” he pauses, his jaw clenching for a moment as his eyes darken possessively. “But while they’re here, you should get to know them.”  
  
Jared doesn’t know where the thought comes from but he still finds himself asking, “What if they were to stay here?”  
  
Jensen frowns in confusion. “What’d’ya mean?”  
  
“Well… They left their pack to come lookin’ for me. They live in San Antonio but they’re not part of the pack down there. What if… what if they want to stay here?”  
  
Jensen licks his lips and brings one hand up, cupping Jared’s cheek, his thumb softly rubbing over Jared’s bottom lip. “I think that you should get to know them better,” he states, soft and careful – because he’s learned better and never knows when Jared’s hormones are going to shift on him these days. “And if ‘s something that all of you want, we can discuss it.”  
  
Jared knows that his mate is right. Before he would even think to ask Jeff and Megan to stay with their pack, he needed to get to know them better. And then he and Jensen would need to talk it out before any decisions were made. But Jared’s pregnant and not entirely rational right now. “What would you decide, Alpha?” he asks, his tone filled with biting sarcasm.  
  
“We would decide together,” Jensen keeps the same careful, neutral tone, “if it’s the best thing for everyone involved. I won’t let someone into our pack that’s just gonna end up hurtin’ you.”  
  
“They’re my siblings, Jensen.”  
  
“Yeah, I get that. I do. But we need to think about this and talk about it when you’re not so tired and emotional.”  
  
It’s the wrong thing to say.  
  
Jared’s blood boils and he pulls away from Jensen, his eyes narrowed into angry slits. “Emotional?” Jared repeats, his eyebrows almost meeting his hairline. “’s  _your_  heir that’s makin’ me so  _emotional_ , Alpha. I just want to get to know my real family.”  
  
Jensen inhales deeply and pushes himself up off the mattress, grabbing a pair of sweats thrown across the back of Jared’s rocking chair. “I’m going out before one of us says something we might regret… even more than what’s already been said.” Jensen pauses at the side of the bed, his fingers twitching at his sides. “I love you, Jared. And even if you don’t feel like we’re your real family anymore, you will always be part of my family to me.”  
  
Jared feels tears welling up and squeezes his eyes closed tight, flinching when the door to their bedroom closes softly, the soft snick sounding like a gun shot in the sudden silence.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jensen doesn’t come home that night.   
  
The next day, Jared is beside himself with worry, pacing in the nursery, his hand in constant motion over his belly. Their son is missing his papa as well and isn’t afraid to let Jared know he’s one unhappy, unborn puppy.  
  
Donna reassures him that Jensen’s fine – just out blowing off steam and being a typical, hard-headed Alpha – and if Jared would just calm down, he’d sense his mate. But with the pregnancy, he’s been having a harder and harder time doing that, even when things are good between them.  
  
Megan finds him on the second day, once again in the nursery, curled up in the huge rocking chair that had been Donna’s when she had her children. “’m sorry, JT,” she murmurs and even though he’s heard her call him that before, he realizes that she’s the only one to do to it. He likes it.  
  
“Why’re you sorry?” he asks, tone flat and miserable.  
  
“I feel like it’s all our fault that you’re fighting with your mate.”  
  
Jared snorts and shakes his head. “No, ‘m fightin’ with my mate because he’s an asshole.” He looks up and waves her into the room. “C’mon. Come sit with me.”  
  
They sit for hours, talking and getting to know each other. She’s bright and energetic and Jared knows that he already loves her. She’s his baby sister, how can he not? Sometime before lunch, Jeff wonders upstairs and joins them. Jared realizes that their older brother is a lot like Jensen – the typical stoic Alpha but he’s fiercely protective and good at heart.  
  
Jared knows that he wants them to be a part of his life. He wants to get to know them better and wants his son to know his aunt and uncle on his side, not just Jensen’s.  
  
Jeff and Megan are bickering good-naturedly and Jared finds himself watching with a fond smile on his face, rubbing his belly. He hadn’t really given a lot of thought to more children but seeing his siblings, he knows that he wants to give this to his son; to give him what Jared himself never had.  
  
“Can I ask y’all somethin’?” Jared eventually asks, interrupting them. They both smile at him – dimpled grins just like his own mirrored back at him – and nod. “I was… I know y’all said that you wanna get to know me,” he damn-near whispers. “And I want that too. I want you to get to know my son. And his future siblings. When you left your original pack, did you become part of another one?”  
  
“No,” Jeff answers, looking a little puzzled. “We wanted to be able to be free to look for you. What’s this got to do with anything?”  
  
“Would you consider stayin’ here?” Jared whispers, his nerves threatening to overwhelm him like they haven’t since he mated with Jensen, that fear of rejection burning through him. “I don’t… I can’t leave my pack, my mate. They took me in when I had no one, when I was lost and confused and thinking I was a monster. And Jensen… Jensen is amazing,” he breathes, feeling his mate’s absence like a missing limb. “He taught me everythin’. Made me realize that who I truly am isn’t something to be feared – by myself or others. He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met. There’s no way I could leave him.”  
  
Jeff nods and bites down on his bottom lip for a second. “Someday, will you tell us about what happened to you? What lead you here?”  
  
Jared nods, smiling. “One day, yeah. I will.”  
  
Jeff smiles back at him and he runs one hand through his hair. “How does Jensen feel about this?” he asks carefully.  
  
“We discussed it,” Jared mutters, tugging at the hem of his t-shirt.  
  
“’m sorry, Jared, I know that it’s not my place but you’re my baby brother… If he’s as wonderful of a mate as you say, where is he? Where has he been for days? Why have you been so upset?”  
  
“We had a fight,” Jared admits. “I… I said some terrible things and he walked away to keep it from getting’ any worse.”  
  
“It was about us, wasn’t it?” Megan asks softly.  
  
“Yes,” Jared answers honestly, not wanting to start this new relationship with his siblings with a lie. “But he said we’d discuss it if y’all and I decide ‘s what we want.”  
  
Jeff leans down and gives Jared an awkward hug and pats his back. “As long as it doesn’t cause problems with your mate, we’d love to stay and be a part of your life. And your children’s.”  
  
Tears trickle down Jared’s cheeks and he struggles to try and get out of the chair. Jeff gently helps him and once he’s standing, Jared pulls Jeff into another hug. Megan chuckles – the sound low and watery – and pushes her way between them so that the three of them are wrapped around each other.  
  
Jared tells Jeff and Megan that they can stay in the house until Jensen comes back and they discuss the matter. He wants to talk to Donna and Alan but knows that he should wait until his mate comes back.  
  
If his mate does come back, that is.  
  
Despite his happiness over the possibility of having his brother and sister as part of their pack, Jared is miserable without Jensen. He locks himself in the nursery – can’t stand to be alone in their bedroom, his mate’s scent so strong there. Sure, his scent is in the nursery as well, but it’s mostly Jared’s own scent in the room.  
  
He sleeps as best as he can in the rocking chair, his back aching. When’s he’s awake, he stares out the window, willing his mate to come through the tree line, day in and day out. Donna checks on him a lot, begging him to go into their bedroom, or at least one of the guest rooms, and get some real rest. But Jared just can’t bring himself to leave his baby’s room. It makes him feel closer to his mate.  
  
All in all, Jensen is gone five days.  
  
Jared doesn’t sense him – their missing bond is starting to trouble him more and more – but he does hear Alan yelling from downstairs.  
  
“What the hell were you thinking? Taking off on your pregnant mate like that?” the older Alpha yells, obviously not caring who’s in the house and who might hear. Jensen’s response is too low to hear and Jared pushes himself out of the chair with a great bit of difficulty and heads toward the stairs. “That’s no excuse, Jensen! You shouldn’t have left in the first place. You are his Alpha, and what you did was cowardly. A true Alpha wouldn’t abandon his mate like that.”  
  
Jared’s right outside the kitchen when he finally is able to hear Jensen’s warning growl. That’s also when he smells the blood.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared doesn’t remember running into the kitchen, his bare feet slapping on the tiles, doesn’t remember crying out at his first glance at his mate, doesn’t remember his brother catching him when his legs gave out.  
  
He’s lying on the couch in the living room, Donna perched next to his hips, a cool, damp wash cloth wiping across his brow when things finally slow down enough for him to feel like he’s not going to hyperventilate. His sister is sitting on the floor, both of her tiny hands holding one of his. But Alan, Jeff and Jensen are nowhere to be seen.  
  
“Jen,” he breathes, trying to push himself up off the couch so that he can see to his mate.  
  
Donna shushes him and presses him back against the cushions with a soft – but firm – hand on his chest. “Easy, honey,” she murmurs, combing his hair back off his forehead. “You collapsed in the kitchen, Jared. You need to rest here. Jeff’s gone to get Doc Beaver.”  
  
“Where’s my mate?” he asks, eyes wide and pleading when he looks up at his surrogate mom. “Please, where is he, Donna? Is he okay?”  
  
Donna sighs and smiles sadly. “He’s fine, sweetie. Don’t you worry ‘bout him…”  
  
“There was blood,” Jared interrupts, feels another wave of dizziness wash over him.  
  
“He cut open his thigh pretty badly yesterday. Even with our healing rate, it’s gonna take a day or so.”  
  
Jared feels bile rising in the back of his throat but manages to swallow it down. “Where is he now?” he asks. “Where’s he been?” he adds, blinking back tears.  
  
“He’s in his office with Alan. Doc’ll check on him once he’s done with you. We… we didn’t think it’d be a good idea for you to see him right now.” She once again brushes her fingers through his hair. “As for where he’s been… From what I heard he was sulking in the woods with Christian like a spoiled pup.”  
  
Jared opens his mouth to respond only to snap his lips closed when the front door opens and Jeff leads Jim into the living room. His brother smiles at him and Jared doesn’t miss the relief in his eyes. “Jared… I’m so glad you’re awake. Damn-near gave me a heart attack, little brother.”  
  
Jared rolls his eyes fondly and turns to look at Jim. “’m okay, really. They shouldn’t’a bothered you.”  
  
“Nonsense, boy,” Jim dismisses. He turns to the rest of the occupants of the room. “Okay, I need to check Jay out. So y’all need to give me a few.”  
  
Donna leans down and presses a kiss to his forehead, getting ready to stand so she can leave the room – Megan and Jeff already heading out into the hallway. “Wait,” Jared gasps, grabbing Donna’s wrist. “Stay? Please?” If he can’t have Jensen with him, she’s the next best thing.  
  
Donna beams down at him and nods, moving so that she’s out of Jim’s way. “Alright, kiddo,” Jim mutters, taking a seat on the coffee table so that he’s facing Jared. “Has this happened before?” Jared shakes his head no. “Been feelin’ dizzy lately?” Once again, Jared shakes his head. Jim’s quiet while he takes Jared’s vitals then grabs the portable ultrasound machine that he brought with him. Jared holds his breath as Jim searches the grainy image of his son but he smiles after a moment and turns on the sound, tears biting at Jared’s eyes when he hears his pup’s heartbeat – strong and steady. Jensen howls from his office – a low, mournful sound and it breaks Jared’s heart a little more. Jim sighs and turns off the machine, wiping Jared’s belly clean. “Your blood pressure’s a bit high,” he explains. “But you and the pup are fine. Bed rest for a few days. And keep the stress down.”  
  
“Why’d he faint?” Donna asks softly, stroking her fingers through Jared’s hair once again.  
  
“The stress of his mate bein’ gone,” Jim answers as he darts a glance her way. “Then seeing the blood… It was too much on him.”  
  
Jared tries to ignore the fact that they’re talking about him like he’s not even in the room and tries to focus instead on the bond between him and his mate. It’s faint; he can just barely get a sense of Jensen’s emotions – mostly guilt – before it’s gone again. He looks up at Jim and clears his throat. “Hey, Doc,” he pauses when Jim looks up at him again, “I was… I’ve been having trouble sensing Jensen lately,” he admits, ignoring Donna’s shocked gasp.  
  
“Sometimes that happens with pregnancy,” Jim assures him softly. “It’ll come back, kiddo. Important thing is not to lose faith in it until it does.”  
  
Donna and Jared both thank him before he heads off toward the office to see about his mate. Twenty minutes later, Jim passes the living room on his way out and calls out a goodbye to Jared.  
  
Donna and his siblings had left him alone to rest in the living room, Donna pulling a quilt over him, pressing another kiss to his forehead. He’s not asleep, mostly just dozing, when he hears Jensen’s office door open and close. Alan steps into the room and gives him a soft smile. “Donna and I are gonna head out for a bit. We’re takin’ Jeff and Megan with us. Thought we’d show them around some,” he says knowingly, patting Jared’s shoulder once. “We’ll be home soon.”  
  
Jared nods and listens to the four of them leave the house. He goes to push himself up into a sitting position but before he can move, there’s a strong, familiar palm pressing against his chest. “Easy, love,” Jensen says softly. “You need to rest.”  
  
Jared looks up into Jensen’s eyes and his own slide closed. He’s missed his mate so fucking much and even though he’s back, it still hurts like hell. When he reopens his eyes, Jensen is kneeling next to the couch, one hand on the cushion, almost touching Jared’s hip. Jensen swallows hard – his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion – and Jared can’t seem to look away suddenly. “’m sorry,” Jensen rasps.  
  
“Where were you?” Jared whispers, curling his hands into fists to keep from reaching out to touch his mate. He can still smell blood, injury, and the sharp, sterile medicine Jim must have used to clean him up and he wrinkles his nose. He wants to rub against Jensen until his mate smells like him – like them – again.  
  
“In the woods,” Jensen whispers. “I just… I couldn’t… I wanted to come back but I didn’t know if you’d want me to.”  
  
Jared snorts and shakes his head. “That’s bullshit and you damn-well know it, Jensen,” he grits out. “I’ve… I was miserable without you. And you know that just because we had a fight that doesn’t mean that I don’t want you around.”  
  
“I know,” Jensen sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was wrong, Jared. So very wrong. And I can’t apologize enough. I… I was stupid and jealous and I shouldn’t’a ran away like that.” He pauses, licks his lips and leans a little closer to Jared. “Can you forgive me?”  
  
A few tears trickle out of the corners of his eyes. “Don’t do it again,” he rasps, throat painfully tight. “Please, Jensen. It hurts too damn much. Promise me.”  
  
“I swear,” Jensen breathes. After a few moments, Jensen inhales deeply. “What’d Jim say? He wouldn’t tell me. Said I needed to figure it out myself. I, uh, I heard him, Jare,” Jensen damn-near whispers. “Damn-near broke my father’s arm tryin’ to make him let me outta that room. I wanted to get to you so bad…” he trails off, searching Jared’s face. “God, I missed you so fuckin’ much.”  
  
Jared whimpers and reaches out for his mate, letting Jensen pull him into his arms. Their lips slide together, wet and perfect, and Jared moans softly, trying to shift closer. Jared has always felt like kissing Jensen is like the first time, every time, and this is no exception.  
  
Jensen pulls away and in one swift motion has Jared in his arms, cradled against his chest as he stands and makes his way toward the steps. His mate’s strength never fails to amaze Jared. And turn him on. The manhandling is hot like burning and Jared feels himself responding, his cock hardening and his hole leaking.  
  
Jim hadn’t restricted them on sex yet but he had told them that they needed to take it easy. And Jared wasn’t in the right mind when the older beta was here earlier to ask about whether it was okay while he was on bed rest for the next few days.  
  
Jensen gently lies him on their bed, crawling onto the mattress a split-second later. He palms the swell of Jared’s belly and dips down to press a kiss there as well. “’m sorry, baby boy,” he whispers to their unborn child. “’m sorry I was such an idiot and hurt Daddy. It’ll never happen again. I promise you both that.”  
  
There are tears in Jared’s eyes again when his mate stretches out next to him, his head held up by one fisted hand, his other hand still rubbing gently over Jared’s stomach. “Will you tell me now?”  
  
Jared blinks owlishly at Jensen, body still in sex mode but his mind focused on the way Jensen was talking to their unborn pup. Shaking his head a bit to clear it, he rolls over onto his side. He and Jensen are sharing the same pillow, so close together their noses are almost touching. Jared reaches out and presses his palm right over Jensen’s heart. “We’re okay,” he whispers. “My blood pressure is a little high and ‘m on bed rest for a few days.” Jensen’s eyes darken and Jared can see him getting upset all over again. “Jen, no. ‘s okay. We were both wrong. Sure, you shouldn’t’a ran out like that and shouldn’t’a stayed gone for so long… But this is not your fault.”  
  
“You’re stressed because I wasn’t here and you didn’t know where I was,” Jensen points out.  
  
Jared huffs a sigh and clenches his jaw. “Okay, so that‘s true. But … I shouldn’t’a said what I said either.” Jared presses harder against Jensen’s chest. “Can we please just… I don’t wanna fight anymore,” Jared whispers, leaning forward to close the small bit of distance between them, brushing their noses together. “I love you, Jensen. And ‘m tired and I haven’t slept worth shit the last few nights…” Jared trails off and presses a kiss to Jensen’s lips. “Can you please just hold me?”  
  
“Of course, love,” Jensen murmurs. “Anythin’ you want.”  
  
~~~~~~  
  
As he knew would happen, Jensen is adamant about Jared following Jim’s instructions about bed rest. For nearly a week – until Jim comes back and tells Jared, and more importantly Jensen, that he’s fine – Jensen won’t let him out of bed except to use the bathroom – and he insists on going with Jared and helping him take a piss.  
  
He brings Jared all his meals in bed and takes a week off work and by the end of the second day Jared is ready to kill him.  
  
So when Jim comes over and gives them the all clear and their twenty-eight week check-up, Jared could seriously kiss the older beta. The first thing Jared does is go to the bathroom – by himself – and take a shower. Everyone is in the dining room when he gets downstairs and when Jensen moves to help him into his seat, Jared sends his mate a warning glare. Jensen wisely sits back down – only pouting slightly – and Jared can’t help but think it’s ridiculously adorable. Instead of taking his own seat at the table, he plops his seven month pregnant ass into Jensen’s lap, grinning at his mate when he automatically wraps his arms around his waist and fondly rolls his eyes.  
  
Jensen feeds Jared in-between feeding himself and Jared looks around the table, noticing for the first time that everyone really does include everyone. His brother and sister along with Josh, his mate and their kids and Mack, her mate and little boy and Donna and Alan. It is Jared’s whole family and he feels warm and fuzzy inside and happy tears blur his vision. Damn pregnancy hormones.  
  
He turns enough to whisper in Jensen’s ear, “We need’ta talk.”  
  
Jensen is rubbing soothing circles in the small of his back and he hums in agreement. “After breakfast.”  
  
“No, now. Before everyone leaves.” He pauses, pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin beneath Jensen’s ear. “Please, Alpha?”  
  
It’s a dirty trick and Jared knows it – and mostly he hates using it to get his way like this – but it works. Jensen clears his throat and helps Jared to his feet before looking around the table. “Pardon us for a moment. We’ll be right back.”  
  
Jared twines their fingers together and leads Jensen to his office. Jensen leans back against his desk, his arms crossed over his chest. Jared steps right up between his legs, molding himself against Jensen as much as his belly will allow. Jensen snorts and drops his arms, wrapping them around Jared’s waist. “Baby, if you’re horny you could’a just said,” he purrs ridiculously and waggles his eyebrows.  
  
“Keep it in your pants, Alpha. I seriously need’ta talk to you.” Jared pauses, inhaling deeply. “When you… after our fight, I spoke with Jeff and Meg,” he says softly, tentatively, feels his nerves and doubts creeping up. The last time they tried to talk about this, it ended up in the worst fight they’ve ever had and Jared briefly thought that he’d lost his mate. But Jensen merely nods at him, silently urging him to continue. “We spent some time together and got to know each other and I… I wanna get to know them more. I want them to be part of my life, our children’s lives. You and our children will always be my priority and your family will always be mine as well but I… I want them too.”  
  
“Okay,” Jensen says slowly, his fingertips shoved under the hem of his t-shirt, rubbing feather-light over the small of his back. “And I take it you talked to them about this?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jared breathes. “And they… if you’re okay with it, they wanna stay. They wanna get to know me, us, and our kids.”  
  
Jensen narrows his eyes and tilts his head to the side. “You keep sayin’  _kids_. Somethin’ else you need’ta tell me?”  
  
“No,” Jared laughs. “Still only one in there now. But I was thinkin’… I want our son to have brothers and sisters. Maybe not right away but in a few years.”  
  
Jensen’s face lights up and he grins – looking for all the world like a little boy at Christmas and not a fierce pack Alpha. “Yeah?” he asks.  
  
“Yeah,” Jared says softly around his own smile. “I grew up an only child and it sucked. I don’t wanna do that to him.”  
  
Jensen presses a kiss to his still-smiling lips. “That sounds amazin’, sweetheart.” He knocks their foreheads together, his eyes sliding closed. “If they accept, Jeff and Megan can stay. Just… know that if they ever hurt you, I won’t hesitate in killing them.”  
  
Jared knows that he’s not kidding and it sends an odd shiver of arousal down his spine. He’s not a violent person – his biology and status make it impossible – but there’s something insanely hot about Jensen being willing to kill for him. Jared blinks and shakes his head to clear those odd thoughts away – this pregnancy is making him fucking crazy.  
  
“I understand,” Jared murmurs, nuzzling under Jensen’s jaw. “Thank you, Alpha.”  
  
Jensen chuckles and pulls away after pressing a kiss to the side of Jared’s lips. “You wanted to make the announcement with everyone here.” It’s more statement than question but Jared nods nonetheless. Jensen kisses him on the tip of his nose – laughing when Jared wrinkles his nose. “C’mon, sap. Let’s go tell everyone.”  
  
All eyes are on them when they enter the dining room again, hand in hand. Megan and Mack give them almost-identical smirks and Megan is currently playing with Mack’s son – the tiny Alpha standing on Megan’s thighs and holding onto her fingers with chubby fists. Their families have melded together so well.  
  
Jensen stands at the head of the table and clears his throat. “We have an announcement,” he starts.  
  
“Oh, God… you’re pregnant,” Mack deadpans and Jared bursts out laughing.  
  
Jensen rolls his eyes at his sister. “Ha, very funny, Ms. Comedian. But seriously. I’m sure by now you all know who Jeff and Megan are and what they mean to Jared. After some discussion, we’ve decided to offer them a place in our pack, if they want it.” Donna beams at Jensen and Alan nods his approval so Jared turns his attention to his brother and sister.  
  
They both look shocked and Jared’s sure it’s because of what happened with their fight. Jeff clears his throat and stands up, Megan following suit. “On behalf of myself and my sister, we graciously accept your offer, Alpha,” Jeff says, strong and sure and both he and Meg dip their heads in respect, submission and recognition for their new Alpha.   
  
~~~~~~  
  
After breakfast, it’s decided that Jeff and Meg will stay with them at the house until they either find their own mates or want to move out. There’s no real hurry – Jared’s surprised, and pleased, when Jensen tells his siblings that they can stay as long as they need.  
  
Things settle down after that and for a while, it’s blessedly normal. Aside from the fact that Jared is now almost at full term and his son is using his insides as punching bags.  
  
The house is eerily quiet when Jared wakes up one morning. He’s now a week past-due and he’s starting to wonder if his son will ever decide to come out. He slides his palm over his swollen middle, barely registering how tight his stomach is. The pup is surprisingly still and Jared takes a moment to be thankful for that before trying to get out of bed so that he can start his day.  
  
His back is aching – more than it has his entire pregnancy – and he presses a hand to the small of his back, trying to rub away some of the tension. It doesn’t really work but a cramp seizing him makes it the least of his priorities at the moment.  
  
He’s not sure why, but he has the overwhelming urge to shift. Sure, over the last five years, he’s definitely gotten used to his wolf and there have been times where he’s just wanted to shift and run for hours, but this is nothing like that. This is an all-consuming need – the same kind of need that took over when he had his heat, like his body isn’t his own.  
  
Following those instincts – Jensen told him years ago to trust himself and what his wolf is telling him, even more so now that he’s pregnant – he shifts. It’s harder to do than it’s been in a while but Jared forces it, whining low in his throat the whole time.  
  
He’s panting by the time he’s fully shifted, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, and he’s exhausted. Taking a second to breathe, a sickening feeling surges through him. He’s much more in-tune with his body now and he knows without a doubt that he’s in labor, that what woke him up was a contraction.  
  
He strains his ears to see if he can hear anyone in the house but there’s no one around. Since his siblings moved in a few months ago, it’s rare that there’s a time when he’s alone in the house. Panic sets in and he tries to get down off the bed but pain rips through his stomach and he whimpers. A rush of fluid gushes out from between his legs then and he knows he has to do something; he sure as hell can’t do this alone.  
  
Throwing his head back, he puts all his remaining energy into one loud, pain-filled howl. It takes everything left in him and he collapses back against the mattress, panting and whining.  
  
Even though his bond with Jensen has been spotty at best for months – basically since the beginning of his pregnancy – Jared still tries to sense his mate, tries to find the calming presence that is his Alpha. Warmth flows through him and despite the pain, he feels himself calm slightly when he feels the bond that connects him to his mate snap back into place. It’s like Jensen is right in the room with him and Jared slides his eyes closed, panting through another contraction.  
  
The pain is just letting up when a huge, snow-white wolf with cinnamon-colored flecks bursts through the door. He’s snarling, his head whipping from side to side, eyes scanning the room before settling on the mattress, on Jared. The Alpha whines, his ears flat against his head as he inches forward.  
  
Jared forces himself not to react, not to growl and lash out. This is his mate – his Alpha – and he’s not going to hurt Jared or his pup.  
  
Jared lets him get close enough to nose at his underbelly, nuzzling at his jaw, before licking at his muzzle. Another pain rips through Jared and he whimpers again, looking up at Jensen with wide eyes, silently begging his mate to help.  
  
Jensen shifts and runs one hand through his fur, down his side, rubbing over tense muscles. “Oh, sweetheart,” he whispers, pressing a kiss between Jared’s ears. “Why didn’t you call before you shifted?” Jared growls softly – doesn’t really have enough energy to put a lot of strength or threat into it – and closes his eyes. “Okay, alright. ‘m sorry,” Jensen mutters, scratching behind Jared’s ear. “You want me to go get someone? Momma? Mack? Jim?”  
  
Jared whimpers and shifts closer, lifts his head enough to rest it on Jensen’s thigh. His logical, human brain, says that yes, someone should be here. But his wolf brain doesn’t want anyone here but his Alpha – and he’s barely tolerating Jensen as it is.  
  
Another pain seizes him – down by his hips this time – and Jared’s whole body tenses and he howls a bit, the natural urge to push drowning out everything else. Jensen must sense it as well, because he scoots down the bed, rubbing at his flank and moves his tail out of the way. Jared growls – even less power behind it than before – and squeezes his eyes closed.  
  
“That’s it,” Jensen urges softly and Jared feels his mate’s hand between his hind legs. “You’re doin’ so good, baby.” Honestly, Jared hadn’t even realized he was  _doing_  anything but he soaks up his mate’s praise, collapsing against the mattress, panting even more. He's not going to make it, he can’t do this. It’s too much and he lets his eyes fall closed. “Oh, no. No no no no,” Jensen mutters. “You can’t stop, Jay. You’re so close. Just a little more.” Jensen rubs his flank as he leans down close to Jared’s ear. “You need to push,” he commands, soft yet firm, every inch Jared’s Alpha. “Our son is almost here and he’s depending on you, Jared.” Jared whines and paws weakly at Jensen’s thigh. “I know, baby,” he coos, “I know it hurts. But you’re doin’ great. You’re amazing and I’m so proud of you. You’re stronger than I could ever be, Jare.” He pauses, pressing a kiss to Jared’s head. “You can do it. Real big push and he’ll be here.”  
  
Jared inhales deeply and pushes – howling shrilly when he does. Jensen is back down by his hips in a flash and he can feel Jensen’s hands between his legs, feels the wet slide of what can only be his son slipping from his body. He collapses against the mattress when it’s over, the pain lessening and he honestly just wants to sleep. But before he can do anything, he catches a whiff of what he instinctively knows is his pup, then Jensen is placing a tiny ball of fur near his head.  
  
There are tears in Jensen’s eyes when Jared glances up at him but the look on his face is nothing short of mesmerized. “You did it,” he breathes, a few tears streaking down his freckled cheeks. “Oh my God, Jared… You fuckin’ did it. There’s our baby…” he trails off and Jared looks down and sees the squirming pup wiggling toward him, nosing clumsily at Jared’s snout. His tongue snakes out without really thinking about it and he sets to cleaning his pup.  
  
Jensen chuckles – soft and fond and a little wet sounding – and runs one hand through Jared’s fur while he strokes over the pup’s tiny back with one finger. His coat is beautiful, tawny like Jared but all four legs are white as well as his chest and snout – where there are cinnamon-colored flecks just like his papa. He’s a perfect mix of Jared and Jensen and for the first time Jared understands instantaneous, unconditional love.  
  
After both Jared and the pup are cleaned up, Jensen gently shifts him to Jared’s nipple. He flinches a bit when his child latches on but settles back against the mattress to focus on nursing their child for the first time. Jensen’s still watching them like a hawk, his hands never leaving Jared or their son. It’s peaceful and Jared’s exhausted. His eyes slide closed and he falls asleep, comfortable in the fact that his Alpha will keep them safe.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
When Jared wakes up, his pup is curled up at his chest, sound asleep. Jensen is wrapped around him – still in human form – one arm curled around Jared’s side. Jared lifts his head and licks Jensen’s cheek, laughing on the inside when his mate wrinkles his freckle-kissed nose. “Glad to see you up, sleepy-head,” he teases, nuzzling his nose against Jared’s neck. “Can you shift for me? I need to call Jim and have him check you and the pup out… And I’d like to talk to you.”  
  
Jared closes his eyes – almost afraid to try considering how hard it was to shift in the first place. But the change happens as effortlessly as it has for the last five years and Jared breathes a sigh of relief. “Hey,” he whispers hoarsely, voice shot, his throat sore from howling and whining. He looks down at his sleeping son, his heart swelling even more. “Hey to you too, puppy,” he rasps, feels tears stinging his eyes. His gaze sweeps back up to Jensen. “Look what we did.”  
  
Jensen chuckles and presses a kiss to the side of his lips. “I see,” he says softly. “We need to name this little one and I need to call Jim,” Jensen reminds him again, “tell my parents that you two are okay.” Jared can sense the worry rolling off his mate in waves and even though he tapped into their bond when he started labor, he’s surprised when he can connect so easily to his mate.  
  
“How’d you know?” Jared whispers.  
  
“I heard you howl,” Jensen says quietly, his hand sliding over Jared’s side. “And for the first time in months, I felt you.” He shifts closer, carefully pulling Jared against his chest. “I was so fuckin’ scared,” he admits. “When I got here and you were… fuck, Jare, I could already see his head by the time I got here.” He trails off again, nuzzling under Jared’s jaw. The puppy wiggles, an adorable little squeaky noise coming from his parted lips. Jensen looks down at their son, smiling brightly before kissing Jared – fast and wet and thorough. “God, you’re fuckin’ amazing. Look what  _you_  did. You brought our baby into the world, safe and healthy,” he swallows thickly, “I love you, sweetheart. So fuckin’ much.”  
  
Jared smiles up at his mate and snuggles their pup closer. “I love you, too, babe.” Their son noses at his chest and Jared laughs softly at the cold, wet sensation. “Go make your calls, we’ll be right here when you get done.”  
  
“We still need a name, Jay,” Jensen says softly, cuddling Jared and their pup even closer.  
  
Inhaling deeply, Jared looks down at their son, running the tips of fingers over the fur between his little ears. He can’t wait to see his son in human form. “I like Andrew,” Jared says quietly, glancing up at Jensen before his gaze drops back down.  
  
Jensen presses a kiss to Jared’s temple and slides a protective arm around both of them. “Sounds perfect,” he agrees. “I… I know that I have a shit-ton of stuff to do but I can’t stand the thought’a draggin’ myself away from you two.”  
  
Jared smiles and reaches toward the side of the bed, grabbing the phone. He dials his sister’s cell, smiling when she picks up. “Hey, Meggie,” he says softly, his throat still feeling a little raw. “I need you to do me a favor.”  
  
“Sure thing, JT. What’s up?”  
  
“Can you go get Doc Beaver and Alan? Have them come upstairs to our room?”  
  
“Of course… But what… What’s goin’ on?”  
  
Jared smiles and tears fill his eyes again. “I had the baby.”  
  
Megan’s squeal is loud enough that Jared instinctively pulls the phone away from his ear and his son jerks, startled, and lets out this watery, whimpery-whine. It’s the most adorable sound and Jared rubs between his ears again, shushing the slightly agitated pup.  
  
Megan assures him that she’ll do as he asked and before he knows it, the room is full – Donna and Alan, all of their siblings and Doc Beaver. Jim pronounces baby and daddy perfectly healthy and Alan assures Jensen that he’ll make the official announcement to the rest of the pack.  
  
After what seems like forever – and Jared’s nerves are raw from watching his son be passed around from family member to family member and he’s tired again – they’re blessed alone again, the pup safe and secure between them. Jared falls asleep with his mate’s heart beating under his palm and his son padding softly at his belly.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Jared closes his eyes, counting to ten, then twenty, but it doesn’t calm him down. His three year old son is running around the back yard, jumping into every mud puddle he can find while his mate just laughs and urges him on.  
  
“You know,” Jared grits out. “’mma have to be the one to clean him up.”  
  
Jensen pushes himself up off the ground and stalks toward Jared, grinning from ear to ear. “Aw, baby,” he purrs ridiculously, trying to wrap his arms around Jared but he can’t quite manage anymore. “I’ll clean him up. You know that.”  
  
Jared snorts and shakes his head, sliding his hand across his swollen stomach. Even though giving birth to Drew was the most painful thing Jared ever experienced, it didn’t change his mind about wanting to have more children. But this pregnancy is completely different from his first.  
  
He’s sick all the time where he wasn’t with Drew and he mostly can’t stand Jensen to be around. And while their bond all but disappeared the first time, it’s stronger than ever now and Jared sometimes feels like he can’t get a break from the older man.  
  
A sharp kick to his kidney has him doubling over, his eyes sliding closed. Jensen rubs his back, making the most ridiculous noises in the back of his throat that Jared assumes are meant to soothe him. Jared growls and pushes his mate away. “I came out to tell you that your father called. They’ll be home early next week.” Jensen nods and tries to press a kiss to Jared’s lips but a wave of nausea hits him at his mate’s scent and he clamps one hand over his mouth and barely makes it to the garbage can in time.  
  
“This sucks,” he rasps, leaning back against Jensen’s chest where his mate is holding him up, smoothing his hair back with one hand. “I think your daughters are trying to kill me.” He huffs a sigh. “Drew was never this bad.”  
  
At the mention of his name, their little Alpha looks up and runs at Jared full tilt. Jensen easily steps between them and grabs their son around his tiny middle. “Easy, puppy,” he scolds gently. “Remember, we talked about being careful around Daddy.”  
  
Drew wiggles and squirms – getting Jensen filthy in the process – and Jared can’t help but laugh. “Time for a bath,” he instructs, looking back and forth between his two Alphas. “Both’a you.” Jensen helps him to his feet and into the house, one hand pressed to the small of Jared’s back the whole time.  
  
He watches fondly as Jensen strips down and fills the tub, pulling Drew into the water with him. Their son closes his eyes and whines when he forces his shift – he’s getting better all the time and it makes Jared proud and a little sad at the same time to see his pup growing up so much.  
  
Leafy-green eyes – just like Jensen’s – blink up at him, his freckled nose wrinkling as he smiles, dimples framing his lips. “Daddy!” he hollers, not having grasped the concept of indoor voices yet – that’s something they need to work on before the twins are born. “Are you gettin’ in, too?” He splashes in the water to emphasize his point.  
  
Jared chuckles as he plops down on the closed toilet seat and rubs a hand over his belly. At six months, he’s freaking huge – bigger than he ever was with Drew. Jim assures him that that’s normal – he is carrying twins after all. “Sorry, puppy. There’s no room in there for daddy. You’ll just have’ta settle for papa washin’ you this time.”  
  
Drew pouts – eyes big and lips turned down – but it only lasts until Jensen starts tickling him and all else is forgotten. Jared watches his mate and his son, one hand pressed protectively over his girls, and thinks that life doesn’t get much better than this.


End file.
